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Proceedings of the 8th Eastern CANUSA
Forest Science Conference
Understanding and Managing ECANUSA Forests in a
Changing Environment
Davis Center, University of Vermont
September 30 – October 1, 2016
Cover Photo – “Mansfield Transitions” John Heselton
About the 2016 ECANUSA Conference
Understanding and Managing ECANUSA Forests in a Changing
Environment
The Eastern CANUSA Forest Science Conference was developed to provide a regular
venue for communications among forest managers, forest scientists, policy makers,
students, natural resource professionals, and others interested in forest resource issues
from both sides of the Canadian/US border.
Because of the northern forest’s importance to the region, forest managers and
researchers from the northeastern states and eastern Canadian provinces are working
continuously to find solutions to a wide variety of natural resource problems. Great work
is occurring on both sides of the border that are enhanced by regular information
exchange about issues affecting the northern forest. This ECANUSA meeting serves as a
forum to promote ongoing discussions and collaborations about the latest forest
problems, methods, findings, and technologies.
This year we focus on the many stressors and agents of change converging on the
region’s forests. As in past years, the conference will include a full day of plenary and
concurrent oral presentations, a poster session and a half day field tour. Friday evening
will also include a reception, dinner banquet and a keynote speaker. Scientists and
practitioners from a large spectrum of expertise will be presenting on research,
monitoring, management and outreach activities to address the many challenges that our
changing environment present to the sustainable management of the regions forest
resource.
For more information on the 2016 UVM ECANUSA meeting visit:
https://www.uvm.edu/femc/ecanusa2016
For more information on the ECANUSA collaborative visit:
https://crsf.umaine.edu/outreach/ecanusa/
ECANUSA 2016 Planning Committee
Anthony D’Amato
University of Vermont James Duncan
Vermont Monitoring Cooperative
Gary Hawley
University of Vermont William Keeton
University of Vermont
Jennifer Pontius
USFS Northern Research Station Paul Schaberg University of Vermont USFS Northern Research Station
ECANUSA 2016 Scientific CommitteeLaura S. Kenefic (US Forest Service NRS)
Collin Beier (SUNY ESF)
Chris Woodall (US Forest Service NRS)
Dianne Burbank (US Forest Service GMNF)
Josh Halman (VT FPR)
Aaron Weiskittel (UME)
Dave Kittredge (UMA)
Mary Tyrrell (Yale)
Daniel Kneeshaw (UQUAM)
Phillipe Nolet (Institute des Sciences de la Forêt
Tempérée)
Patricia Raymond (Government of Quebec)
Ted Howard (UNH)
A special thank you to our graduate and undergraduate student Conference Facilitators:
Cathleen Balantic, David Gudex-Cross, Alexandra Kosiba, Nicole Rogers, and Tami
Wuestenberg for their help in facilitating the plenary session question-and-answer
process, and moderating the afternoon concurrent sessions.
Preferred Citation:
Abstract Author. 2017. Abstract Title. In: Proceedings of the 8th Eastern CANUSA
Forest Science Conference: Understanding and Managing ECANUSA Forests in a
Changing Environment. Pontius, J., Schaberg, P. and J. Duncan (Eds.) September 30-
October 1, 2016. Burlington, VT. Forest Ecosystem Monitoring Cooperative. pp XX-XX.
Digital Object Identifier: doi:10.18125/D2MW2X
Available online at https://www.uvm.edu/femc/ecanusa2016#proceedings
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License
5
TABLE OF CONTENTS
KEYNOTE HOW SILVICULTURE CAN HELP FORESTS COPE WITH A CHANGING ENVIRONMENT:
INSIGHTS FROM QUEBEC’S TEMPERATE MIXEDWOOD FOREST Patricia Raymond 12
KEYNOTE ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE AND NORTHERN HARDWOOD ECOSYSTEMS: RECENT
OBSERVATIONS FROM HUBBARD BROOK Tim Fahey 16
WHY STATE FACTORS AND OTHER METRICS OF BIODIVERSITY CAN EXPLAIN
MORE THAN SPECIES RICHNESS ABOUT CARBON STORAGE David Hooper, Carol Adair, Alain Paquette, and Jarrett Byrnes 17
30 YEARS OF FOREST CONVERSION IN THE NORTHEAST: HISTORICAL PATTERNS
AND FUTURE PROJECTIONS Alison Adams, Jennifer Pontius, Gillian Galford, Scott Merrill, David Gudex-Cross 18
WHO ARE MAINE'S BEGINNING FAMILY FOREST OWNERS? A HYBRID RESEARCH-
OUTREACH STUDY OF NEW LANDOWNERS Ian Anderson, Jessica Leahy 19
CLIMATE DRIVEN LANDSCAPE-LEVEL CHANGES IN KEY HARDWOOD SPECIES
OCCURRENCE AND ABUNDANCE OVER THE LAST THREE DECADES IN FORESTS OF
NORTHEASTERN USA Arun K. Bose, Aaron Weiskittel, and Robert G. Wagner 21
GENE CONSERVATION AND RESTORATION OF RED SPRUCE IN THE SOUTHERN
APPALACHIANS John R. Butnor , Kurt H. Johnsen, Barbara Crane, Christopher A. Maier 22
UNDERSTANDING ATTITUDE STRENGTH INDICATORS TO PREDICT SOCIAL
ACCEPTABILITY OF MANAGEMENT INTERVENTION OF INVASIVE INSECTS IN THE
NEW ENGLAND FOREST. Ariana M. Cano, Walter F. Kuentzel and Kimberly F. Wallin 23
PRIVATE FORESTS, PUBLIC BENEFITS: ECOSYSTEM SERVICES FROM FAMILY
FOREST LANDS IN THE USA Jesse Caputo, Brett Butler 24
6
WABANAKI YOUTH IN SCIENCE (WAYS): A TRIBAL MENTORING AND EDUCATIONAL
PROGRAM FOCUSED ON DEVELOPING YOUNG NATURAL RESOURCE
PROFESSIONALS Tish Carr, Laura S. Kenefic and Darren Ranco 26
EVALUATING THE INFLUENCE OF STEM FORM AND VIGOR ON PRODUCT
POTENTIAL, GROWTH, AND SURVIVAL FOR SEVERAL NORTHERN COMMERCIAL
HARDWOOD SPECIES Mark Castle, Aaron Weiskittel, Robert Wagner and Mark Ducey 27
MANAGEMENT INFLUENCES FUNCTIONAL COMPOSITION AND DIVERSITY IN
NORTHERN HARDWOOD AND MIXED-CONIFER FORESTS IN MAINE AND NEW
HAMPSHIRE, USA Miranda T. Curzon, Anthony W. D'Amato, Shawn Fraver , Brian J. Palik, John B. Bradford, Jane R. Foster, Alessandra Bottero, Kelly E. Gleason 28
BOREAL FOREST FRUIT SHRUBS CULTIVAR TRIALS AND PROPAGATION FOR THE
DIVERSIFICATION OF FRUIT PRODUCTION ON THE NORTH SHORE REGION OF
QUEBEC, CANADA Ève-Catherine Desjardins 29
CONTINUED EXPANSION OF THE VERMONT MONITORING COOPERATIVE'S FOREST
HEALTH MONITORING NETWORK James Duncan, Kirsti Carr, Diana Gurvich, Rebecca Rossell, John Truong and Jennifer Pontius 31
INTRODUCING A MULTI-CRITERIA DECISION SUPPORT TOOL FOR MANAGING
FORESTS UNDER CLIMATE CHANGE James Duncan, Clare Ginger and Jennifer Pontius 32
A SYSTEMS PERSPECTIVE ON THE SHIFT TO MODERN WOOD HEATING
TECHNOLOGY IN THE NORTHERN FOREST REGION Laura Edling and Cecilia Danks 33
MANAGING INVASIVE PLANTS ON VERMONT'S STATE LANDS Molly Elvin, Heather Ewing, Liz Bourget and Elizabeth Spinney 34
TRACKING SUBDIVISION AND PARCELIZATION TO INFORM LAND USE PLANNING,
CONSERVATION AND THE MANAGEMENT OF FORESTS IN VERMONT Jamey Fidel, Deb Brighton, Kate McCarthy, Brian Shupe, Emma Zavez 35
STUDYING WOOD QUALITY IN THE CONTEXT OF A SPRUCE BUDWORM OUTBREAK
IN QUEBEC Gabriel Fortin 37
7
FORECASTING CLIMATE CHANGE REFUGIA FOR MONTANE SPECIES: HOW
HARVEST AND DISTURBANCE AFFECT SPECIES PERSISTENCE Jane R. Foster and Anthony W. D'amato 38
OUT OF THE LAB AND INTOTHE FIELD: COMMERCIAL PRODUCTION OF
BAKEAPPLE PLANTS Marie-Claire Gervais, Sara Kristine Naess 39
CARBON FORESTRY OPTIONS USING EXOTIC LARCHES IN NORTHERN NEW
ENGLAND Alec Giffen, Lloyd C. Irland, David I. Maass , Brian Roth 41
PATTERNS OF NONNATIVE INVASIVE PLANT SPECIES DIVERSITY IN GYPSY MOTH
DEFOLIATED FORESTS Maryna Golivets, Christopher W. Woodall, and Kimberly F. Wallin 43
DELINEATING RIPARIAN AREAS IN WORKING FORESTS - FIXED WIDTH VERSUS
FUNCTIONAL? Maneesha Jayasuriya, René H. Germain and Eddie Bevilacqua 44
REGENERATION RESPONSES TO MANAGEMENT FOR OLD-GROWTH
CHARACTERISTICS IN NORTHERN HARDWOOD-CONIFER FORESTS Aviva Joy Gottesman and William S. Keeton 45
ENHANCED FOREST COVER MAPPING USING SPECTRAL UNMIXING AND OBJECT-
BASED CLASSIFICATION OF MULTI-TEMPORAL LANDSAT IMAGERY David Gudex-Cross, Jennifer Pontius, and Alison Adams 46
EVALUATING THE IMPACTS OF SOUTHERN PINE BEETLE ON PITCH PINE FOREST
DYNAMICS IN A NEWLY INVADED REGION Molly Heuss, Anthony D’Amato, Kevin Dodds 48
IMPACTS OF WOODY BIOMASS DEMAND ON TIMBER MARKETS IN NEW ENGLAND
AND NEW YORK Ted Howard and Iuliia Drach 50
DAYDREAMS AND NIGHTMARES IN THE NORTHERN FOREST: A QUARTER
CENTURY OF CHANGE Lloyd C. Irland 51
SILICA ACCUMULATION IN DECIDUOUS TREES: COULD IT BE A SUBSTITUTE FOR
LIGNIN? Roxane Jaffray, Benoît Côté 58
8
ASSESSING VULNERABILITY OF FOREST ECOSYSTEMS IN NEW ENGLAND AND
NORTHERN NEW YORK Maria Janowiak, Tony D’Amato, Chris Swanston, Leslie Brandt, Patricia Butler, Stephen Handler, Danielle Shannon 60
IMPACTS OF BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES ON LOGGING COSTS AND
PRODUCTIVITY Matthew C. Kelly, Rene' H. Germain and Steven Bick 64
MANAGING MULTI-AGED MIXEDWOOD STANDS: PERSPECTIVES FROM THE
PENOBSCOT EXPERIMENTAL FOREST IN MAINE, USA Laura S. Kenefic and Robert S. Seymour 65
TIMBER HARVESTING THROUGH SPACE AND TIME: UNDERSTANDING AND
MANAGING FORESTS ACROSS THE RURAL-SUBURBAN INTERFACE David B. Kittredge, Jonathan R. Thompson, Luca Morreale, Anne G. Short Gianotti, Lucy Hutyra 66
INVESTIGATING THE SURPRISING, RECENT GROWTH INCREASE OF RED SPRUCE
TREES ACROSS THE REGION Alexandra M. Kosiba, Paul G. Schaberg, Shelly Rayback Gary Hawley 69
ENVIRONMENTAL VARIABLES ASSOCIATED WITH INVASIVE GLOSSY BUCKTHORN
(FRANGULA ALNUS MILL.) AND INDIRECT CONTROL STRATEGIES FOR FOREST
MANAGERS Joshua Kozikowski and Ted Howard 71
CAPACITY FOR RECOVERY, INFLEUNCE OF COMMERICAL THINNING &
RESISTANCE TO DEFOLIATION IN SPRUCE-FIR FORESTS CJ Langley , Mike Day , Brian Roth 72
ECONOMIC IMPACTS OF EARLY INTERVENTION TO SUPPRESS A SPRUCE
BUDWORM OUTBREAK IN NORTHERN NEW BRUNSWICK Eric Ye Liu, Van A. Lantz, David A. MacLean 74
SPRUCE BUDWORM IS BACK. CAN WE INTERVENE EARLY TO REDUCE OUTBREAKS? David A. MacLean 75
ANALYSIS OF THE FACTORS CONTROLLING FOREST PRODUCTIVITY IN
NORTHEASTERN U.S FOR IMPROVED APPLICATION OF REMOTE SENSING Conor Madison and Scott V. Ollinger 76
TESTING EXPERIMENTAL SILVICULTURAL TREATMENTS TO MITIGATE FOLIAR
PATHOGENS AFFECTING EASTERN WHITE PINE IN THE NORTHEASTERN US AND
CANADA Cameron McIntire, Heidi Asbjornsen, Isabel Munck 77
9
ASSESSING THE EFFICACY OF TWO SPECIES OF SILVER FLY, LEUCOPIS
ARGENTICOLLIS AND LEUCOPIS PINIPERDA, AS BIOLOGICAL CONTROL AGENTS OF
HEMLOCK WOOLLY ADELGID, ADELGES TSUGAE, IN THE EASTERN US Kyle Motley, Nathan Havill, Darrell Ross, Albert Mayfield and Kimberly Wallin 79
NORTHERN MIXEDWOOD SITE PRODUCTIVITY 50 YEARS AFTER WHOLE-TREE AND
STEM-ONLY HARVESTING, WITH AND WITHOUT PRESCRIBED BURNING Bethany Muñoz, Laura S. Kenefic, Aaron Weiskittel and Ivan Fernandez 80
RAPID LANDSCAPE MONITORING USING DRONES Jarlath O'Neil-Dunne 81
ASSESSING SPATIAL PATTERNS OF THE EFFECTS OF NITROGEN DEPOSITION ON
FORESTS USING A GIS MANAGEMENT TOOL FOR CRITICAL LOADS AND
EXCEEDANCE Linda H. Pardo, Molly Robin-Abbott, Claire B. O'Dea, Jennifer Pontius, Jason A. Coombs 86
THE COMPLEX RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CLIMATE AND SUGAR MAPLE HEALTH:
CLIMATE CHANGE IMPLICATIONS FOR A KEY NORTHERN HARDWOOD SPECIES Jennifer Pontius, Evan Oswald, Lesley-Ann Dupigney-Giroux, Sandy Wilmot, Shelly Rayback, Paul Schaberg 87
LANDSCAPE SCALE ASSESSMENTS OF FOREST PRODUCTIVITY: METHODS,
PATTERNS AND TRENDS Jennifer Pontius , Shelly A. Rayback , Emma Tait , Jesse Little, John Kilbride 89
MODELING HEMLOCK WOOLLY ADELGID RISK AND
IMPACTS OF PRESALVAGE HARVESTING ON CARBON STOCKS IN NORTHERN
HEMLOCK FORESTS Jennifer Pontius, Paul Schaberg, William Livingston, Kara Lorion , Stacy Trosper 91
IRREGULAR SHELTERWOOD AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO CLEARCUTTING IN BALSAM
FIR-YELLOW BIRCH STANDS Patricia Raymond, Steve Bédard, Stéphane Tremblay, and Catherine Larouche 95
MAINTAINING LOGGER VIABILITY IN THE NORTHEAST Jamie L. Regula and Rene H. Germain 97
COMPARISON OF CRITICAL LOADS OF NITROGEN FOR FOREST SPECIES AND
COMMUNITIES IN CLASS I AREAS OF THE NORTHEASTERN UNITED STATES Molly Robin-Abbott, Linda H. Pardo, Jennifer Pontius, Jason Coombs 98
LONG-TERM REGENERATION DYNAMICS IN NORTHERN HARDWOOD FORESTS OF
THE NORTHEAST Nicole Rogers, Anthony W. D'Amato, Ralph Nyland, Laura S. Kenefic and Mark Twery 99
10
INFLUENCE OF LOGGING DISTURBANCE ON TREE GROWTH, SPECIES
COMPOSITION, AND RESIDUAL STAND DAMAGE FOLLOWING HARVESTING IN TWO
MAINE SPRUCE-FIR STANDS Roth, B.E., Lachance, C, Wagner, R.G. , and Benjamin, J.G. 100
VERMONT’S MANAGED FORESTS AND SOIL CARBON STOCKS: INTERACTION
AMONG LAND-USE HISTORY, EARTHWORMS AND SITE Don Ross 102
CAN GAP-BASED MANAGEMENT PROMOTE NATURAL REGENERATION AND
DIVERSITY IN MIXEDWOOD STANDS? Alejandro A. Royo, and Patricia Raymond 103
THE LONG-TERM EFFECTS OF LOGGING, HURRICANE DISTURBANCE, AND
SALVAGE LOGGING ON OLD-GROWTH FOREST STANDS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE Emma M. Sass and Anthony W. D’Amato 105
BUILDING A DENDROECOLOGY DATABASE FOR THE NORTHERN FOREST Paul Schaberg, Shelly Rayback, Christopher Hansen, Paula Murakami, James Duncan, Alexandra Kosiba, Benjamin Engel, Rebecca Stern, Gary Hawley, Jennifer Pontius 106
LOCAL ADAPTATION OF TREES AT THE RANGE MARGINS SLOWS RANGE SHIFTS IN
THE FACE OF CLIMATE CHANGE Kevin Solarik 108
ASSESSING LONG TERM IMPACTS OF INTERMEDIATE TREATMENTS ON TIMBER
QUALITY AND STAND ECOLOGY OF NORTHERN HARDWOOD FORESTS IN NEW
HAMPSHIRE Meghan Thornton and Ted Howard 109
EFFECTIVE LANDOWNER ENGAGEMENT - FROM OUTREACH TO OUTCOMES Mary Tyrrell, Purnima Chawla and Emma Kravet 110
FOREST STRUCTURAL DEVELOPMENT AND CARBON DYNAMICS AS INFLUENCED
BY LAND-USE HISTORY AND REFORESTATION APPROACH Andrea Urbano 111
CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION BY VERMONT SNOWMOBILERS William Valliere, Robert Manning, Elizabeth Perry, Xiao Xiao, Nathan Reigner 112
GROWTH RATES OF MAPLE TREES TAPPED WITH HIGH-YIELD SAP COLLECTION
PRACTICES – ARE EXISTING TAPPING GUIDELINES SUSTAINABLE? Abby van den Berg, Timothy Perkins, Mark Isselhardt, Timothy Wilmot 113
11
NORTHERN WHITE CEDAR PLANTATIONS: GLORIFIED HEDGES OR A SUITABLE
TOOL FOR CEDAR RESTORATION AND FOREST MANAGEMENT? Olivier Villemaire-Côté, Jean-Claude Ruel, Luc Sirois 115
GROWTH AND YIELD OF A JAPANESE LARCH (LARIX KAEMPFERI (LAMB) CARIERE)
PLANTATION: 75-YEAR RESULTS FROM UNIVERSITY OF VERMONT'S JERICHO
RESEARCH FOREST Justin Waskiewicz, Lindsay Cotnoir and Ralph Tursini 118
FOREST STRUCTURE, COMPOSITION, AND REGENERATION FOLLOWING WIND
DISTURBANCE IN MIXED HARDWOOD-CONIFER ECOSYSTEMS Aaron Weisinger-Flood, Garrett Meigs and William Keeton 119
STRUCTURAL CHARACTERISTICS OF OLD- AND SECOND-GROWTH NORTHERN
WHITE-CEDAR STANDS Nathan Wesely, Laura S. Kenefic, Shawn Fraver 120
DETERMINING THE MECHANISM OF IMPACT OF HARDWOOD CONTENT ON SPRUCE
BUDWORM DEFOLIATION OF BALSAM FIR Bo Zhang, David MacLean 121
12
KEYNOTE
HOW SILVICULTURE CAN HELP FORESTS COPE WITH A
CHANGING ENVIRONMENT: INSIGHTS FROM QUEBEC’S
TEMPERATE MIXEDWOOD FOREST
Patricia Raymond (1)
(1)Direction de la recherche forestière, Ministère des Forêts, de la Faune et des Parcs du Québec 2700
rue Einstein, Québec, Québec, Canada, G1P 3W8, [email protected]
ABSTRACT
While land managers are facing the great
challenge of managing forests over the next
decades in a changing environment, one of the
crucial question remains “What can we do now
to manage forests and help them to face future
conditions?” This presentation aims to provide
insights about how silviculture can help forests
cope with a changing environment, using
examples drawn from Québec’s temperate
mixedwood forest.
One striking realization when we start thinking
about this question from a land manager’s
perspective is the high level of uncertainty.
Forest conditions are expected to change
because of unsuitable climatic conditions,
insects and pathogens and new animal species
(reviewed by Gauthier et al. 2014). Effects of
global change on tree species and forest
ecosystems could be positive or negative.
These changes directly affect processes such as
seed germination, seedling establishment, and
forest tree growth and survival; in the long term, then can alter forest composition, structure and
productivity. Global change will also have indirect effects on natural disturbance regimes by modifying
the frequency of fires, windstorms, and other extreme events. Moreover, the expected rate of these
changes will be faster than the capacity of trees to adapt.
Animal species limited by cold temperatures or snow depth could increase their population size or
expand their range toward new suitable habitats. Drought could also increase the risk of insect
outbreaks. These new interactions could affect processes in forest ecosystems (Frelich et al. 2012). For
KEY FINDINGS
Diversity will decrease the risk of
negative interactions with stressors.
Resilience will help the most
complex stands to cope with and
recover from stressors.
Transition options should help new
stands evolve under changing
conditions.
A general strategy of adaptation
should focus on integrating options
that favor resilience in older stands,
adaptation in intermediate stands
and transition in younger stands.
13
example, increased seed predation by new animal species could affect the regeneration of certain plants
or trees, and browsing preferences of more abundant deer populations could favor recalcitrant
understory layers.
The portfolio approach defined by Millar et al. (2007) is often proposed to manage forests in the face of
uncertainty. These authors propose a conceptual framework for managing forest ecosystems under the
assumption that future environments will differ from the present. They recommend choosing strategies
that can adapt to different situations. These adaptive strategies include options to favor resistance (to
forestall impacts and protect high-value resources), resilience (to improve the ecosystem’s capacity to
return to desired conditions after disturbances) and response (to facilitate an ecosystem’s transition from
current to new conditions, hereafter referred to as “transition”). In general, for a given territory, a
cautious approach would be to opt for a diversity of adaptive strategies.
Overall, we want healthy, resilient forests that can deal with global change. Yet, the changing
environment itself is hard to predict. Over the last decade, Québec policy has tended toward a natural
disturbance-based or “coarse filter” approach to maintain biodiversity and resilience in forest
ecosystems (Kuuluvainen and Grenfell 2012).
We will use the example of the temperate mixedwood forest zone in Québec (between the 47th and 48th
parallels) to develop this idea. This zone is actually the ecotone between the temperate and the boreal
forests, in which both temperate and boreal species coexist. Stand-replacing disturbances such as fire
have shaped the mixedwood forest according to 200- to 400-year cycles (Boucher et al. 2011), with
moderate and light disturbances (e.g. spruce budworm (Choristoneura fumiferana [Clem.]) outbreaks,
windthrow and natural senescence) occurring between catastrophic disturbances. This has contributed to
fashioning a much diversified landscape — a mosaic of stands with different compositions, ages and
structures.
The management framework in Québec aims to maintain a stand matrix with target proportions of 4 age
classes (regeneration, intermediate, mature and old-growth) that closely mimic natural landscapes. For
example, an average preindustrial landscape of the western mixedwood forest had 10% of its area in
regeneration (<15 years), 32% as intermediate stands (16–80 years), 31% as mature stands (81–200
years) and 27% as old-growth stands (>200 years) (Boucher et al. 2011). Historical cuts have drastically
reduced the representation of mature and old-growth stands and increased that of regenerating and
intermediate stands. To reverse this trend, we want to actively conserve older stands with silvicultural
systems using partial cuts and modalities that maintain structural attributes. Managers of public forests
are required to maintain one third of the preindustrial proportions of mature and old-growth stands on
80% of the territory. The idea is not to reproduce the landscape as it was 200 years ago, but to reduce the
gap between unmanaged and managed forests.
The choice of the silvicultural system has major implications on stand structure and structural
complexity. Yellow birch–conifer stands are a dominant forest type in the temperate mixedwood, with a
disturbance regime characterized by partial mortality, natural senescence and spruce budworm
outbreaks. Silvicultural systems such as the continuous cover irregular shelterwood and the hybrid
single-tree and group selection cutting could emulate this disturbance regime (Raymond et al. 2009).
Balsam–fir conifer stands, another important forest type, are typically harvested by clearcutting and its
variants. We are currently testing alternatives, such as an irregular shelterwood system, to emulate the
effects of cyclic spruce budworm outbreaks.
14
Beyond the coarse filter approach, it may prove important to address finer biodiversity issues by adding
certain modalities to existing treatments or silvicultural scenarios. For example, in the yellow birch–
conifer stands, we can successfully establish yellow birch (Betula alleghaniensis Britton), balsam fir
(Abies balsamea [L.] Mill.) and red maple (Acer rubrum L.), but red spruce (Picea rubens Sarg.) is
much more difficult to regenerate when it is not present as advance regeneration prior to cutting. We are
currently testing enrichment planting in harvest gaps with the goal of maintaining this historically
important stand component. We are also investigating whether the retention of snags and legacy trees
can address the issue of deadwood decline in partial cuttings (Angers et al. 2005) and maximize chances
of maintaining forest ecosystem diversity and functions.
The intermediate age class typically comprises second-growth stands that are transitioning between the
early- and late-succession stages. These stands often contain larger proportions of hardwoods than the
reference for similar site conditions. When planning management according to future changing
conditions, our goal could be to favor diversity (by maintaining or increasing the conifer component)
and to increase complexity. Enrichment, if needed, could be done with species or provenances adapted
to the future climate. With younger stands, we can seize opportunities to improve resilience and
transition using silvicultural treatments such as the extended irregular shelterwood (to increase structural
complexity), regular shelterwood (e.g. Prévost and DeBlois 2014) and commercial thinning.
Since young, regenerating mixedwood stands are likely to experience environmental changes during
most of their existence, it may be worth investing more in transitional approaches. Diversity could be
key to maintaining their mixedwood character, as it contributes to decrease the risk that a pest kills the
majority of trees. Another sound strategy could be to keep the most vigorous trees that would be adapted
to future climate conditions. Mixed precommercial thinning, also experimented in Québec, could offer
benefits from both ecological and wood production perspectives. We should also investigate possibilities
for mixed-species plantations with species or provenances adapted to future climates. However, much
research is still needed before these are applied to a large scale, and caution is recommended regarding
assisted migration (Ste-Marie 2014).
As forest managers, we know that forest conditions could change because of pests, invasive plants,
unsuitable climatic conditions and migration of new animal species. Overall, although some change is
tolerable, we aim to maintain resilient forest ecosystems by working to maintain functional processes
and to promote biodiversity. Our general strategy of adaptation should focus on integrating options that
favor resilience in older stands, adaptation in intermediate stands and transition in younger stands.
As take-home message, 3 keywords characterize forest management in a changing environment:
diversity, resilience and transition. Diversity will reduce the risk of negative interactions between
insects, pathogens and animals and forest ecosystems. Resilience will help the most complex stands
cope with and recover from stressors. Transition options should help young stands evolve under
changing conditions. Nevertheless, we should not forget to diversify management and silviculture at the
landscape scale. Silviculture, this old discipline of forest science, remains a great tool to achieve
management objectives. This time, it could not only help our forests cope with a changing environment,
but it could also contribute to their active conservation.
15
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Many thanks to Alejandro Royo, Yan Boucher and Daniel Dumais for their advice on the content of this
presentation.
REFERENCES
Angers, V.A., Messier, C., Beaudet, M., and Leduc, A. 2005. Comparing composition and structure in
old-growth and harvested (selection and diameter-limit cuts) northern hardwood stands of Quebec.
Forest Ecology and Management 217: 275–293.
Boucher Y., Bouchard, M., Grondin, P., and Tardif, P. 2011. Le registre des états de référence :
intégration des connaissances sur la structure, la composition et la dynamique des paysages forestiers
naturels du Québec méridional. Ministère des Ressources naturelles et de la Faune, Direction de la
recherche forestière. Mémoire de recherche forestière no 161. 21 p.
https://www.mffp.gouv.qc.ca/publications/forets/amenagement/registre-etats-reference.pdf.
Gauthier, S., Bernier, P., Burton, P.J., Edwards, J., Isaac, K., Isabel, N., Jayen, K., Le Goff, H., and
Nelson, E.A. 2014. Climate change vulnerability and adaptation in the managed Canadian boreal forest.
Environmental Reviews 22(3): 256–285.
Frelich, L.E., Peterson, R.O., Dovčiak, M., Reich, P.B., Vucetich, J.A., and Eisenhauer, N. 2013.
Trophic cascades, invasive species and body-size hierarchies interactively modulate climate change
responses of ecotonal temperate–boreal forest. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of
London B: Biological Sciences 367(1605): 2955–2961.
Kuuluvainen, T., and Grenfell, R. 2012. Natural disturbance emulation in boreal forest ecosystem
management - theories, strategies, and a comparison with conventional even-aged management.
Canadian Journal of Forest Research 42: 1185–1203.
Millar, C.I., Stephenson, N.L., and Stephens, S.L. 2007. Climate change and forests of the future:
managing in the face of uncertainty. Ecological Applications 17(8): 2145–2151.
Prévost, M., and DeBlois, J. 2014. Shelterwood cutting to release coniferous advance growth and limit
aspen sucker development in a boreal mixedwood stand. Forest Ecology and Management 323: 148–
157.
Raymond, P., Bédard, S., Roy, V., Larouche, C., and Tremblay, S. 2009. The irregular shelterwood
system: review, classification, and potential application to forests affected by partial disturbances.
Journal of Forestry 107(8): 405–413.
Ste-Marie, C. 2014. Adapting sustainable forest management to climate change: a review of assisted tree
migration and its potential role in adapting sustainable forest management to climate change. Canadian
Council of Forest Ministers, Climate change task force, Ottawa, Ontario. 14 p.
16
KEYNOTE
ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE AND NORTHERN HARDWOOD
ECOSYSTEMS: RECENT OBSERVATIONS FROM HUBBARD
BROOK
Tim Fahey
Cornell University, G16 Fernow Hall, Ithica, NY, 14853 USA [email protected]
The 3,160 hectare Experimental Forest is dedicated to long-term forest and stream ecosystem
studies. Photo: USDA Forest Service. www.hubbardbrook.org
ABSTRACT
The northern hardwood forest ecosystem at Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest in New Hampshire is
responding to a suite of rapid environmental changes. Air temperature and precipitation are steadily
increasing, and the depth and duration of snowpack decreasing. After a century of soil base cation
depletion by acid rain, deposition of strong-acid anions has rapidly declined in recent years. Ecosystem
monitoring and field experiments demonstrate a variety of consequences of these environmental changes
for forest ecosystem dynamics. More frequent soil freezing associated with declining snow is damaging
fine roots with likely consequences for tree nutrient acquisition. A lengthening of the vernal window, the
time between snowmelt and leaf out, is occurring. White pine and red oak are colonizing the understory
in the Hubbard Brook valley where they did not occur until recently. Surprisingly, balsam fir and red
spruce are increasing in abundance. Experimental restoration of soil calcium stimulated recovery of the
health and productivity of the forest. This treatment also has induced a pronounced decline in fine root
biomass and the mass of the forest floor soil horizons, the exact opposite of observations from a northern
hardwood forest treated with 3-times higher levels of calcium. We anticipate still more radical changes
as anthropogenic effects accelerate.
17
WHY STATE FACTORS AND OTHER METRICS OF BIODIVERSITY
CAN EXPLAIN MORE THAN SPECIES RICHNESS ABOUT CARBON
STORAGE
David Hooper, Carol Adair(1), Alain Paquette, and Jarrett Byrnes
1) Corresponding author: University of Vermont, 85 Carrigan Dr. Burlington, VT 05405 USA
ABSTRACT
Evidence suggests that increasing plant diversity increases rates of ecosystem primary production and
plant carbon (C) stocks. However, translating these observations into diversity effects on whole
ecosystem C storage also requires understanding ecosystem controls on decomposition. We explored the
roles of climate, topography, stand age, and plant traits and diversity, on carbon storage in temperate and
boreal forests of Québec. We tested effects of abiotic factors alone and in combination with either
diversity, community-weighted mean (CWM) plant functional traits, or both, on live tree C, standing
dead C, organic horizon C, and total C. Abiotic state factors alone explained much of the landscape-
scale variance in C storage, with different C pools responding to different variables, as expected.
Similarly, CWM plant functional traits were strong predictors for all C pools, but the traits relevant for
live tree C differed from those relevant for litter layer C. While diversity metrics also explained some
additional variance, they were never the best biotic predictors for any forest carbon pool; in several
cases, diversity had negative effects on litter layer C. Our results have several implications. First, at
landscape scales, BEF studies need to integrate mechanisms from plot-scale research with other known
drivers of ecosystem processes. Second, where ecosystem services result from multiple different
processes, no simple relationship may exist with any one biological metric - whether functional traits or
diversity. Finally, moving beyond the expediency of species richness will help us better understand the
mechanistic effects of diversity on ecosystem processes and services.
18
30 YEARS OF FOREST CONVERSION IN THE NORTHEAST:
HISTORICAL PATTERNS AND FUTURE PROJECTIONS
Alison Adams(1), Jennifer Pontius(2), Gillian Galford(1), Scott Merrill(3), David Gudex-Cross(3)
(1)University of Vermont & Gund Institute for Ecological Economics, 617 Main St., Burlington, VT
05401, USA, [email protected] , [email protected] (2)University of Vermont & US Forest Service Northern Research Station, 81 Carrigan Dr., Burlington,
VT 05405, USA, [email protected] (3)University of Vermont, 81 Carrigan Dr., Burlington, VT 05405, USA
[email protected] , [email protected]
ABSTRACT
Land use and land cover across the northeastern
United States has changed dramatically over the past
century. While these changes are highly visible to land
managers and planning professionals on a local level,
regional information on the nature and extent of these
changes has been limited. Thanks to the wealth of
historical satellite imagery that has recently become
freely available, we are now able to look, with
sufficient temporal resolution (5 year intervals from
1985 to 2015), at the patterns and rates of land cover
change across the Northeast. In this study we utilized
recently-developed maps of land cover in the
Northeast to quantify changes in the landscape over
the past thirty years, looking particularly at transitions
to and from forest. This information is critical to
inform adaptive forest management in the face of
increasing development and parcelization, as well as
converging stress agents across the region. Using
Dinamica EGO, a sophisticated spatial modeling
platform, we identified significant drivers of historical
change and simulated future changes in land cover.
Here we present historical and projected changes in forest pattern and extent for the northeastern US
from 1985 to 2060.
Initial results indicate that forest cover was lost at a rate of ~0.4% per year between 1985 and 2000 but
rebounded between 2000 and 2015 as development pressures decreased with the slowing economy.
However, fragmentation of forests increased consistently over the historical study period, even when
forest cover was stable. Applying this model across the region shows a high probability of conversion
KEY FINDINGS
Projected forest area
decreased for all time
periods.
All measures of forest
fragmentation increased
in projected maps.
Development appears to
be a primary driver of
transition out of forest.
19
for forests in high population areas, closer to current non-forested areas, on level slopes and at lower
elevations, on properties with low participation in conservation programs.
Change in forest and non-forest area in the Northern Forest region. Study area covers US
portions of Landsat Row 29, paths 12 - 14.
20
WHO ARE MAINE'S BEGINNING FAMILY FOREST OWNERS? A
HYBRID RESEARCH-OUTREACH STUDY OF NEW LANDOWNERS
Ian Anderson (1), Jessica Leahy (1)
1) University of Maine, School of Forest Resources, 5755 Nutting Hall, Orono, ME, 04469 USA
[email protected] , [email protected]
ABSTRACT
Family forest owners own 35% of the forestlands in the United States and their numbers are increasing
due to intergenerational transfers and land parcelization. A new cohort of beginning family forest
owners (BFFO), who have acquired land in the past 5 years, has emerged, many of whom are not
engaged in forest stewardship. Stewardship is important because these lands provide vital and,
increasingly, limited resources and ecosystem services to the owners and the public. It is difficult for
natural resource professionals to engage this cohort because of limited resources and budgets. This
research is designed to explore how landowners' confidence and social capital affects their engagement
in forest stewardship. We will present preliminary results from a mail survey administered to 1056
BFFOs in Maine. Using the theory of planned behavior and social capital theory, we developed this
questionnaire to measure landowners' intentions and confidence to engage in forest stewardship, and
also examine how social capital development may improve landowner outreach. We hypothesize
BFFOs' confidence and social capital are important variables when explaining family forest owners'
decisions to engage in forest stewardship. We will also describe the second phase of our research which
will include peer learning workshops for participants and another survey to determine how landowners'
engagement, confidence, and social capital changes over time. This research will be useful to natural
resource professionals as they continue to develop outreach programs to engage family forest owners in
sustainable forest stewardship.
21
CLIMATE DRIVEN LANDSCAPE-LEVEL CHANGES IN KEY
HARDWOOD SPECIES OCCURRENCE AND ABUNDANCE OVER
THE LAST THREE DECADES IN FORESTS OF NORTHEASTERN
USA
Arun K. Bose(1), Aaron Weiskittel, and Robert G. Wagner
(1)Corresponding author: University of Maine, School of Forest Resources, 5755 Nutting Hall, Orono,
ME, 04469 USA [email protected]
ABSTRACT
Climate-driven shifts in forest composition have been widely reported, where changes in abiotic
conditions have resulted high mortality of sensitive species and disproportionately favored species better
adapted to changing conditions. In recent years, a number of studies have reported the dominance of
American beech (Fagus grandifolia) in understories of hardwood forests of the Northeastern USA. This
is the first study to document landscape-level dynamics of understory tree species during the past three
decades across the diverse forests of the Northeastern USA. We used Forest Inventory and Analysis data
from Maine, New Hampshire, New York and Vermont to assess the influence of biotic and abiotic
factors on sapling occurrence probability and relative abundance of four key hardwood species in the
region, namely American beech, sugar maple (Acer sacharum), red maple (A. rubrum), and birch
(Betula spp.). Our results suggest the occurrence probability of American beech has increased
substantially over the past three decades in the states of New Hampshire, New York, and Vermont;
whereas the occurrence probability of three other hardwood species has decreased. Consequently, a clear
shift in species composition is currently happening in hardwood forests with uncertain consequences for
the ecosystems structure and function. Abiotic factors were superior to biotic factors in discriminating
beech occurrence probability and abundance against three other hardwood species. Positive association
between increased precipitation in the Northeast over the last 15 years, and increased beech occurrence
probability and relative abundance may suggest a climate-driven shift in species composition in forest
understories of the Northeastern USA.
22
GENE CONSERVATION AND RESTORATION OF RED SPRUCE IN
THE SOUTHERN APPALACHIANS
John R. Butnor(1) , Kurt H. Johnsen, Barbara Crane, Christopher A. Maier
(1) Corresponding author: Southern Research Station, USDA Forest Service, 85 Carrigan Dr.
Burlington, VT 05405 USA [email protected]
ABSTRACT
Red spruce (Picea rubens) populations in the southern Appalachians (Tennessee, North Carolina,
Virginia) are disjunct from larger northern populations in New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine
and Canadian Maritime provinces. Due to heavy logging and subsequent severe fires in the early 20th
century, and now due to invasive pests, it has been estimated that there has been a >90% decline in
spruce-fir forests in the southern Appalachians. The remaining red spruce populations are highly
fragmented. Red spruce is restricted to high elevations in the south and has a high potential to become
maladapted with future climate change. Currently, seed for restoration and gene conservation is
collected on ad-hoc basis in readily accessible locations in "good seed years". We are developing a more
comprehensive inventory of red spruce seed from a range of latitudes and elevations across the eastern
United States. Although our work will be range wide, the initial efforts will be concentrated in the
southern Appalachians. We will develop a GIS data base to map seed collections. Stand characteristics
will be input and then climate data will be overlaid. These data will be used to fill in the gaps of seed
availability in terms of latitude, longitude and elevation. We will conduct genecology research to assess
if red spruce is a genetic generalist or specialist. If the latter, information on its adaption with respect to
micro-climate will be critical for gene conservation, restoration and, perhaps, assisted migration of red
spruce in light of climate change.
23
UNDERSTANDING ATTITUDE STRENGTH INDICATORS TO
PREDICT SOCIAL ACCEPTABILITY OF MANAGEMENT
INTERVENTION OF INVASIVE INSECTS IN THE NEW
ENGLAND FOREST.
Ariana M. Cano(1), Walter F. Kuentzel and Kimberly F. Wallin
(1) Corresponding author: University of Vermont, Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural
Resources, 85 Carrigan Dr. Burlington, VT 05404, USA [email protected]
ABSTRACT
Many biologists argue that the threat of invasive insects is one of the most pressing environmental
issues of our time. Endless research presents the threat and risk they pose to the New England forest
and the high demand for management and policies to prevent drastic changes. However forest
landowners do not share this concern, instead many find this issue to be too complex for their
consideration. This study focuses on understanding individuals' attitude towards invasive insects,
their concern about invasive insects as an environmental issue and social acceptability of different
management practices.
A mailed survey was distributed to forest-owners in the New England region in towns that are either
infested, threatened, or non-threatened by HWA, EAB, or ALB. Survey participants were asked
about their preferences in a series of questions composing different areas of attitude strength. We
hypothesized no significant difference among stratified groups, and instead individuals will show
little concern about this issue; making social acceptability of management more difficult to address.
The study findings summarize the different ways in which forest landowner attitude strength differs
in response to invasive insects. Also, it shows that there are no significant differences between the
different groups surveyed, and their social acceptability to different management practices. To the
contrary of biologists' belief, individuals seemed to not be as concerned and alert about managing
for invasive insects.
24
PRIVATE FORESTS, PUBLIC BENEFITS: ECOSYSTEM
SERVICES FROM FAMILY FOREST LANDS IN THE USA
Jesse Caputo(1), Brett Butler(2)
(1)Family Forest Research Center, University Of Massachusetts Amherst, 160 Holdsworth Way,
Amherst, MA, 01003, USA, [email protected] (2)USDA Forest Service, 160 Holdsworth Way, Amherst, MA, 01003, USA [email protected]
ABSTRACT
Individuals and families collectively own more
than 290 million acres of forest and woodland in
the USA, comprising greater than 35% of all
U.S. forestland. Using data from the USDA
Forest Service’s National Woodland Owners
Survey (NWOS), we provide insight into the
extent to which ecosystem services are being
supplied by family forest lands and the
beneficiaries of those services. Approximately
half of family forest lands (>159 million acres)
belong to ownerships providing one or more
provisioning services, including wood products,
non-timber forest products, and animal fodder.
With the exception of logs, provisioning services
are more commonly reported as being enjoyed
directly by owners or their associates, as opposed
to being sold through traditional markets.
Similarly, while more than half of family forest
lands are owned by those who have provided
recreational opportunities to friends and family,
owners who report recreational services being
supplied to the general public (for sale or for free) collectively represent fewer than 30 million acres.
The supply of regulating and supporting services is strongly linked to the maintenance of long-term
forest cover. The owners of greater than 80% of family forest lands report a desire to maintain the
forested condition of their land, whereas a much smaller percentage of these owners (owning < 14
million acres) have entered into conservation easements or have collected money for conservation
purposes. Even less acreage belongs to owners reporting leasing land or collecting money for
wildlife habitat/biodiversity (< 8 million acres), carbon storage or sequestration (< 2 million acres),
or public water supply protection (< 2 million acres).
KEY FINDINGS
Individuals, families, and
trusts own more than 35%
of U.S. forestland.
Family forests provide a
wide variety of ecosystem
services and products.
Many services are
primarily enjoyed by
landowners and close
associates.
25
Estimated area of family forest and woodland ownerships (10+ acres) which have leased
forest land or collected money for use of forest land by use or activity, United States, 2011-
2013. Error bars represent two standard errors.
HUNT = hunting,
REC = recreation (other than hunting),
GRZ = to graze / pasture livestock,
CONS = land conservation,
CARB = carbon capture / sequestration, WAT = public water supply protection,
WILD = wildlife habitat / biodiversity.
26
WABANAKI YOUTH IN SCIENCE (WAYS): A TRIBAL MENTORING
AND EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM FOCUSED ON DEVELOPING
YOUNG NATURAL RESOURCE PROFESSIONALS
Tish Carr(1), Laura S. Kenefic(2) and Darren Ranco (1)
(1)Wabanaki Center, University of Maine, 5717 Corbett Hall, Room 208, Orono, Maine 04469-5724
(2)U.S. Forest Service, Penobscot Experimental Forest, 686 Government Road, Bradley, ME USA 04411,
ABSTRACT
The Wabanaki Youth in Science (WaYS) program, funded by the National Science Foundation and
administered by the Wabanaki Center at the University of Maine, provides mentoring and training
opportunities for Native American youth in life sciences. This program, which was motivated by a
shortage of young natural resource professionals to manage tribal lands in Maine, uses a multifaceted,
multi-year approach to recruit and retain Native youth in science fields. Key components include (1)
summer camp and seasonal mini camps, (2) traditional ecological knowledge programs at tribal teen
centers and Boys & Girls Clubs, and (3) internships with cultural resource and natural resource mentors.
A defining characteristic of the program is the integration of knowledge from cultural resource and
natural resource mentors. This approach helps students develop an understanding of contemporary
natural resource problems informed by their community and culture, leading to greater relevance and
persistence in science. In addition, internships with tribal and non-tribal institutions (such as on ongoing
habitat restoration project with the U.S. Forest Service) provide pathways to employment and bring
diverse perspectives to natural resource management. In the first three years of the WaYS program, the
number of Wabanaki youth enrolled in science fields at the University of Maine increased by 15%. We
suggest the longitudinal and multifaceted approach used in the WaYS program (i.e., camps, community
outreach, and internships with cultural resource and natural resource mentors) as a model for other
initiatives aimed at engaging Native youth in life sciences.
27
EVALUATING THE INFLUENCE OF STEM FORM AND VIGOR ON
PRODUCT POTENTIAL, GROWTH, AND SURVIVAL FOR SEVERAL
NORTHERN COMMERCIAL HARDWOOD SPECIES
Mark Castle(1), Aaron Weiskittel(2), Robert Wagner(1) and Mark Ducey(3)
(1) School of Forest Resources, University of Maine, 201 Nutting Hall, Orono, ME 04469, USA
(1) School of Forest Resources, University of Maine, 201 Nutting Hall, Orono, ME 04469, USA
(2) Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, Purdue University, 715 West State Street, West
Lafayette, IN 47907, USA. [email protected]
(3) College of Life Sciences and Agriculture, University of New Hampshire, Rudman Hall, 46 College
Road, Durham, NH 03824, USA [email protected]
ABSTRACT
Northern hardwood species display a wide variety of stem forms and defects which can considerably reduce
stem quality and complicate the management objectives of these species. Although commonly cited as
limiting factors of hardwood species, the influence of both stem form and damage remain largely
unaccounted for in volume/biomass equations or even growth and yield models. In addition, the limited
integration of these attributes into growth and yield applications has left the efficacy of current tree
classification systems used to manage these species untested. The purpose of this study was to determine the
influence of stem form and damage on product potential, growth, and survival among several prominent
northern commercial hardwood species and present a revised framework for a tree classification system.
Using data collected across several sites in Maine, New Hampshire, and New Brunswick, a series of models
were developed to quantify potential sawlog recovery, periodic annual increment, and probability of survival
across trees of varying stem form and vigor using a classification system developed by the Northern
Hardwood Research Institute (NHRI). The results indicated that a classification system with four stem form
categories accounting for trees with single straight stems, sweep, multiple stems, and significant forks along
with two classes characterizing damage severity could be used to differentiate between hardwood species of
varying stem quality and vigor in the Northeast region.
28
MANAGEMENT INFLUENCES FUNCTIONAL COMPOSITION AND
DIVERSITY IN NORTHERN HARDWOOD AND MIXED-CONIFER
FORESTS IN MAINE AND NEW HAMPSHIRE, USA
Miranda T. Curzon(1), Anthony W. D'Amato(2), Shawn Fraver(3), Brian J. Palik(4), John B.
Bradford(5), Jane R. Foster(1), Alessandra Bottero(6), Kelly E. Gleason(5)
(1)Department of Forest Resources, University of Minnesota, 1530 Cleveland Avenue North, Saint Paul,
MN 55108, USA, [email protected], [email protected] (2)Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources, University of Vermont, 81 Carrigan Drive,
Burlington, VT 05405 USA, [email protected] (3)School of Forest Resources, University of Maine, Orono, ME 04469, USA, [email protected]
(4)USDA Forest Service, Northern Research Station, 1831 Hwy 169 E., Grand Rapids, MN
55744, USA, [email protected] (5)US Geological Survey, Southwest Biological Science Center, Flagstaff,
AZ, USA,[email protected], [email protected] (6)Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow, and Landscape Research, Zürcherstrasse 111, CH-8903
Birmensdorf, Switzerland, [email protected]
ABSTRACT
Concern about global environmental change and associated uncertainty has given rise to greater
emphasis on building adaptive capacity in forest ecosystems. Greater diversity is generally believed to
contribute to resilience and adaptive capacity, but that relationship is nuanced and varies widely across
ecosystems and scales.
Using a combination of historic inventories and dendrochronological techniques, we examined the
effects of conventional management approaches on plant traits and functional diversity in northern
forests located in New Hampshire and Maine, USA. Two harvest treatments (typical for each forest
type) and an untreated control were replicated three times at each site. Community-weighted trait means
(leaf mass per area, specific gravity, maximum height, seed mass, drought tolerance, shade tolerance,
and flood tolerance) and standard functional diversity indices were quantified based on observed
standing biomass in 2010 allowing comparisons of stands managed with different silvicultural systems
since the 1950's. Additionally, trait means and functional diversity measures were estimated for stand
biomass increment each year 1984-2009.
Few differences in functional diversity emerged between treatments in the northern hardwood forest,
but in mixed-conifer forest, stands managed with selection had lower functional diversity relative to
those managed with the shelterwood method. In the absence of disturbance (i.e. in control stands)
functional diversity remained stable over time. Selection decreased drought tolerance relative to even-
aged systems in both forests. Overall, our results support hypotheses that regeneration methods
influence functional composition and diversity, both potentially related to forest ecosystem resilience.
Lastly, observed relationships between annual, trait-based growth and climate variables suggest
functional composition may influence climate-growth responses in these forests.
29
BOREAL FOREST FRUIT SHRUBS CULTIVAR TRIALS AND
PROPAGATION FOR THE DIVERSIFICATION OF FRUIT
PRODUCTION ON THE NORTH SHORE REGION OF QUEBEC,
CANADA
Ève-Catherine Desjardins
Centre d’expérimentation et de développement en forêt boréale (CEDFOB),
537, boulevard Blanche, Baie-Comeau, Québec, Canada,
ABSTRACT
Goals
Select and test on the north shore region of Quebec at Longue-Pointe-de-Mingan (50°18'12"N;
64°11'25"O), Pointe-aux-Outardes (49°5'13"N; 68°23'16"O) and Sacré-Coeur (48°14'51"N;
69°51'57"O) within a permaculture system* hardy and productive cultivars (quantity and quality
of fruit).
Improve cutting techniques of these shrubs in collaboration with a local nurseryman.
Support nurseries and small fruit growers in the development of novel boreal forest fruit crops
including saskatoons (Amelanchier spp.), haskaps (Lonicera caerulea), red currants, gooseberries
and jostaberries (Ribes spp.), lingonberries (Vaccinium vitis idea) and highbush cranberries
(Viburnum edule).
* The permaculture system is characterized by crop self-sufficiency and is low input. Field
preparation consists of hilling and mulching, in this case with leaves, freshly chipped branches
and composted aspen bark.
Permaculture installation at Longue-Pointe-de-Mingan and small fruits cutting trials.
30
Results
The best Ribes (yields, fruit quality, growth and disease and insect susceptibility) were Hinnomaki red,
Red Lake, White Pearl and Jostaberry. With the exception of the Longue-Pointe-de Mingan site (the
northernmost site) the gooseberries were attacked (up to complete defoliation) by the sawflies, Nematus
ribesii and Pristiphora rufipes. It is possible that their distribution does not extend as far as the
northernmost site giving this site a large advantage.
The best performing haskap was Indigo Treat. However, this cultivar is susceptible (fruit punctures) to the
honeysuckle moth Ypsolopha dentella. Flowers of the very early haskap cultivars (Blue Nova and Blue
Sky) suffered from late spring frosts and these cultivars are therefore not advised for the north shore unless
a wood chip mulch is used which delays the flowering period.
Among the saskatoons the cultivars Drapeau ll and Martin were the best performing. The main problem
encountered was with birds eating the ripe fruits.
The cutting trials allowed the adaptation of existing protocols and the formation of a working team
including a local nursery which is willing to provide growers interested in developing these new fruits
crops with plants. The fruiting period of these five small fruits (haskaps, saskatoons, gooseberries,
jostaberries and red currants) stretches from early July until the beginning of September. The
complementarities of certain cultivars permit an extension of the harvest period and favors workforce
retention in isolated regions.
31
CONTINUED EXPANSION OF THE VERMONT MONITORING
COOPERATIVE'S FOREST HEALTH MONITORING NETWORK
James Duncan(1), Kirsti Carr, Diana Gurvich, Rebecca Rossell, John Truong and Jennifer Pontius
(1)Corresponding author: Vermont Monitoring Cooperative and Rubenstein School of Environment and
Natural Resources, University of Vermont, 705 Spear St, South Burlington, VT 05403 USA
ABSTRACT
In 1991, the Vermont Monitoring Cooperative and the Vermont Department of Forests, Parks and
Recreation began a statewide forest health monitoring network, designed to uncover important
relationships, changes, and stressors impacting Vermont's forested landscape. The plots were initially
located in intensive study sites on Mt. Mansfield and in the Lye Brook Wilderness, and were surveyed
annually. In the last three years, the network was expanded from 14 to over 45 plots by co-locating with
other forest health monitoring efforts such as the USFS Forest Inventory and Analysis, the North
American Maple Project, and others. This expands and intensifies forest health assessment efforts in the
state, sampling a wider range of biophysical regions and a more representative cross-section of
Vermont's forests with an enhance methodology. The result of this expanded network is a fuller set of
data available for evaluating long-term trends in forest health in the state. In addition, data was collected
in 2016 using the Foresters for the Birds methodology, providing an additional resource for
characterizing these long-term monitoring plots, which will be presented here.
32
INTRODUCING A MULTI-CRITERIA DECISION SUPPORT TOOL
FOR MANAGING FORESTS UNDER CLIMATE CHANGE
James Duncan(1)(2), Clare Ginger(1) and Jennifer Pontius(1)(2)(3)
(1) Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources, University of Vermont 85 Carrigan Dr.
Burlington, VT 05405 USA [email protected] , [email protected]
(2) Vermont Monitoring Cooperative 705 Spear St, South Burlington, VT 05403 USA
(3)US Forest Service, Northern Research Station 85 Carrigan Dr. Burlington, VT 05405 USA
ABSTRACT
Climate change has the potential to alter forest ecosystem composition and processes in Vermont, USA,
through direct and indirect pathways. Forestland managers are left with an array of possible factors to
consider when attempting to incorporate climate change impacts in management planning, from species
range shifts to invasive species risk to wildlife habitat suitability to changes in recreation patterns.
Combining and weighting these factors can often mean a time-consuming process of accessing and
interpreting output from multiple tools each time a decision needs to be made. We present preliminary
work on a new web-based decision support tool that allows users to evaluate customized combinations
of objectives under current and future climate conditions. Based on a common spatial grid for the state
of Vermont, users can define an area of interest, select from a wide list of modeled outcomes, weight the
relevant importance of those outcomes and select one or several climate change predictions to assess. In
addition, differences among management alternatives can also be computed for some objectives within
the tool. The resulting output is a series of maps showing the overall relative ranking of the landscape
for the combination of chosen objectives under different climate change scenarios, as well as accompany
summary statistics and figures. These products provide a multi-faceted, spatially explicit ranking of how
different portions of the chosen landscape can meet the forest management goals of the user under
different climate change scenarios.
33
A SYSTEMS PERSPECTIVE ON THE SHIFT TO MODERN WOOD
HEATING TECHNOLOGY IN THE NORTHERN FOREST REGION
Laura Edling and Cecilia Danks
Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources, University of Vermont 85 Carrigan Dr.
Burlington, VT 05405 USA [email protected] , [email protected]
ABSTRACT
This study takes a systems approach to understanding the complex factors that affect the transition
toward local, sustainable energy sources, with a focus on the case of modern wood heat. The research
team from the Northern Forest Center, University of Vermont, and University of Maine, Orono is
studying the conversion to high efficiency, low emissions, wood pellet technology among households,
local businesses and community buildings in the Northern Forest region of New York, Vermont, New
Hampshire, and Maine. Collecting data through interviews, surveys, and site visits, the team will
identify both the proximal factors that influence the adopters of modern wood heating systems as well
as the relationships, leverage points and drivers of the energy system that shape consumer choices.
We will analyze the Model Neighborhood Wood Heating Initiative-- a community-based, systemic
approach to foster conversion to modern wood heating – and explore synergies and differences with
more traditional, state-wide policy incentives. While still in data collection stage, we expect our
findings to assist in a holistic understanding of the transition from fossil fuels in the Northern Forest
region, and ultimately have theoretical and policy implications for other energy transitions elsewhere.
34
MANAGING INVASIVE PLANTS ON VERMONT'S STATE LANDS
Molly Elvin(1), Heather Ewing, Liz Bourget and Elizabeth Spinney
(1) Corresponding author: Vermont Department of Forests, Parks, and Recreation, 1 National Life
Drive, Davis 2, Montpelier, VT 05620-3801 USA n [email protected]
ABSTRACT
Invasive plant species are non-native plants that cause harm to native ecosystems by displacing native
plants and disrupting natural cycles. Invasives can cause a wide range of harms including harm to
human health, environmental harm, and economic harm. The southwestern region of Vermont's state
forests and parks took the proactive step in 2013 of creating a three-year, grant funded habitat
restoration crew to help control invasive species by assessing, managing, and educating the public about
the invasives. The crew has educated hundreds of volunteers from schools, churches, and businesses all
over Vermont on what invasive species are and what they can do to help control them. Throughout the
three years of the habitat restoration crew, they have compiled extensive research and experience on the
best ways to control each of the 45 state designated noxious plants which can now be passed on to the
public as well as the other regions of Vermont's parks and forests.
35
TRACKING SUBDIVISION AND PARCELIZATION TO INFORM
LAND USE PLANNING, CONSERVATION AND THE
MANAGEMENT OF FORESTS IN VERMONT
Jamey Fidel(1), Deb Brighton(2), Kate McCarthy(1), Brian Shupe(1), Emma Zavez(1)
(1)Vermont Natural Resources Council, 9 Bailey Avenue, Montpelier, Vermont 05602 USA
(2)Vermont Family Forests, PO Box 254, Bristol, Vermont 05443 USA [email protected]
ABSTRACT
When forestland is broken up into
smaller parcels from subdivision, the
result is typically an increase in the
number of landowners and housing
units in addition to new infrastructure
such as roads, septic and utility lines.
Depending on how this development
occurs, it can fragment the landscape
and negatively affect plant and animal
species, wildlife habitat, water
quality, and the ability of forests to
mitigate the effects of climate change.
It can also affect the contiguous
ownership and management of forest
parcels, and thus the viability of large
tracts of forestland to contribute to
Vermont’s working forest economy.
Research studying parcelization and
subdivision trends between 2003 and
2009 demonstrates that while a large
percentage of the land in Vermont
(71%) is still represented in parcels
greater than 50 acres, the trend is that
larger parcels are being converted
into smaller and smaller parcels (see
key findings). The value of land in
parcels 50 acres or larger appreciated
significantly during this study period
shifting from an average value of
KEY FINDINGS
The amount of land in 50+ acre
parcels decreased by 42,000 acres
between 2003 and 2009 while 4,300
additional parcels were created in the
2-10 acre category.
From 2003-2009, 126,000 acres of
land went from being undeveloped, to
having a house.
Research in 22 case study towns
indicate that subdivision is mostly
happening in small increments (2-4
lots at a time). In general, subdivisions
of this size are not large enough to
trigger statewide review, which means
municipal regulations play a major
role in guiding subdivision patterns in
Vermont.
36
$930 per acre in 2003 to $1,615 per acre in 2009, putting pressure on forestland owners to hold onto
larger parcels of land.
Research in 22 case study towns examined the correlation between subdivision rates and land use
regulations from 2002 and 2009. On average, each subdivision resulted in 2-4 lots, and only 1% - 2% of
subdivisions in the case study towns were large enough to trigger Act 250, Vermont’s statewide process
for reviewing and managing the environmental, social and fiscal consequences of major subdivisions
and developments. Therefore, municipal regulations play a major role in guiding subdivision patterns in
Vermont. Subdivision activity is more likely to occur in rural areas such as rural-residential districts than
in conservation oriented zoning districts. This means natural resource features in “default” zoning
districts – where most subdivision is happening – may be vulnerable to development unless there are
natural resource protection standards in the land use regulations.
Research also demonstrates that subdivision is increasing the number of parcels that are eligible for
Vermont’s Use Value Appraisal (Current Use) Program, but decreasing the number of acres that are
large enough to be enrolled. This means more landowners are enrolling in the Program, while the
amount of land that is eligible to be enrolled for conservation is decreasing.
Efforts are currently underway to develop a new statewide database and an on-line data dashboard that
will update the subdivision trend information and facilitate the visual inspection, querying and
dissemination of parcelization and subdivision data on an annual basis at multiple spatial scales
spanning local, regional and statewide levels. This tool will benefit researchers, land management
agencies, municipalities, professional planners, regional planning commissions, conservation
organizations, natural resource professionals and foresters in their ability to identify and maintain large
intact areas of forests.
-
10,000
20,000
30,000
40,000
50,000
60,000
2-10 10-25 25-50 50-100 100-200 >200
NumberofParce
ls
AcresinParcel
2003
2009
VermontSubdivisionTrends
Increaseinsmallparcels,decreaseinlargeparcels
4,300additionalparcelscreatedfrom2003-2009
Amountoflandin50+acreparcelsdecreasedby42,000acres
Vermont Subdivision Trends
Increase in small parcels, decrease in large parcels.
-
10,000
20,000
30,000
40,000
50,000
60,000
2-10 10-25 25-50 50-100 100-200 >200
NumberofParce
ls
AcresinParcel
2003
2009
VermontSubdivisionTrends
Increaseinsmallparcels,decreaseinlargeparcels
4,300additionalparcelscreatedfrom2003-2009
Amountoflandin50+acreparcelsdecreasedby42,000acres
Vermont Subdivision Trends
Increase in small parcels, decrease in large parcels.
Amount of land in
50+ acre parcels
decreased by
42,000 acres
4,300 additional
parcels created
from 2003-2009
37
STUDYING WOOD QUALITY IN THE CONTEXT OF A SPRUCE
BUDWORM OUTBREAK IN QUEBEC
Gabriel Fortin
Centre d'expérimentation et de développement en forêt boréale (CEDFOB) Baie-Comeau, QC G5C
2B3, Canada [email protected]
ABSTRACT
A spruce budworm outbreak is in progression in Quebec. In the region of the North Shore, defoliation is
observed since 2006 and the annual defoliated area is increasing each year. In 2015, 3 754 605ha were
defoliated. The defoliation causes growth reduction, mortality as well as loss in wood quality.
The effects of defoliation on wood quality of balsam fir and spruces are studied by our team since 2014
in the North Shore of Quebec. In our studies, the defoliation and the condition of trees were measured.
Wood coloration and decay of harvested logs were characterized, as well as chips quality according to
three metrics; the humidity, the luminance and the proportion of dark fiber. The quantity of residual
wood left in the forest following harvesting, in an operational context, is also measured. These results
aim to identify indicators that could predict the quality of the wood to harvest, giving forest companies a
predictive tool that could help them with the harvesting management.
38
FORECASTING CLIMATE CHANGE REFUGIA FOR MONTANE
SPECIES: HOW HARVEST AND DISTURBANCE AFFECT
SPECIES PERSISTENCE
Jane R. Foster(1) and Anthony W. D'amato(2)
(1) Department of Forest Resources, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, USA [email protected] (2) Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT
ABSTRACT
Montane forest species are vulnerable to climate change, challenging land-managers who must
prioritize protected areas for conservation. Sub-alpine spruce-fir forests in New England illustrate
this challenge. Forests of Abies balsamea and Picea rubens are predicted to recede to higher
elevations as temperatures increase. Warm-adapted species are predicted to expand upward. Yet
satellite imagery has shown that the extent of subalpine forests has remained stable or expanded
downward over the past 30 years of warming. We hypothesize that movement of the sub-alpine
forest boundary is responding more to disturbance dynamics, from wind, harvests and insect
outbreaks, than to changes in climate.
We ask how disturbances help or hinder the development of refugia for montane species in the
Green Mountains National Forest (GMNF) in Vermont, USA. We simulated future forest conditions
using the landscape model LANDIS-II under a combination of four global circulation model (GCM)
projections. We tested whether spruce-fir forests shrink as expected and identify where spruce-fir
persists as potential climate refugia for conservation.
Growth and establishment of the montane species A. balsamea and P. rubra were sensitive to the
range of GCM projections; increasing or decreasing depending on soil type and topographic
position. In spite of this variation in vital rates, total spruce-fir extent proved resistant to projected
changes in climate and did not decrease significantly between 2010 and 2100. Fine-scale landscape
simulations successfully identified potential climate refugia for montane spruce-fir forests providing
an opportunity to direct conservation efforts towards areas with the highest likelihood of success.
39
OUT OF THE LAB AND INTOTHE FIELD: COMMERCIAL
PRODUCTION OF BAKEAPPLE PLANTS
Marie-Claire Gervais (1), Sara Kristine Naess(2)
(1)Centre d’expérimentation et de développement en forêt boréale, 537 boul. Blanche, Baie-Comeau
Québec, G5C 2B2 (Canada), [email protected] (2)Centre de recherche Les Buissons, 358 chemin Principal, Pointe-aux-Outardes, Québec, G0H
1M0 Canada [email protected]
ABSTRACT
The bakeapple (Rubus chamaemorus
L.) grows in the peatlands of the boreal
forest. In the North Shore region of
Quebec, the fruit has been harvested
from the forest for centuries and
wildcrafting, while not efficient
enough for industry development, is
still in use today. In order to improve
the harvest efficiency and diversify the
forestry economy of this region,
domestication of non-lignified forest
products, such as the bakeapple, is
considered.
KEY FINDINGS
The bakeapple plant adapts well to high
density in vitro propagation in low cost
commercially available plastic
containers suitable for shipping.
They can be efficiently acclimatized by
growers on site in low cost mist
chambers using locally available milled
peat.
: a: bakeapple plant in vitro; b: bakeapple plant into the field.
40
The Centre d’expérimentation et de développement en forêt boréale (CEDFOB) is currently working
on a project to optimise bakeapple micro-propagation techniques with commercial production in
mind. A multidisciplinary team composed of biologists, agronomists, research scientists and plant
tissue culture specialists is working to help a group of producers on the Lower North Shore initiate a
new small fruits industry based on bakeapple production. There are currently no nurseries producing
bakeapple plants. Norwegian bakeapple cultivars are available for import but aside from problems
dealing with phytosanitary laws and regulations, these cultivars are not adapted to the climatic
conditions of the boreal forest of eastern Canada. With the recent plant breeding work at the Centre
de recherche Les Buissons (CRLB) involving native bakeapple clones and the plant tissue culture
protocols in development at CEDFOB we are now in a position to contemplate the mass production
of bakeapple plants having agronomic potential for industry development. Commercial in vitro
propagation could also be used to produce large quantities of bakeapple plants for restoration of cut-
over peatlands.
41
CARBON FORESTRY OPTIONS USING EXOTIC LARCHES IN
NORTHERN NEW ENGLAND
Alec Giffen(1), Lloyd C. Irland(2), David I. Maass(3), Brian Roth(4)
(1) Togus Rd, Chelsea, ME 04330, USA [email protected]
(2) 174 Lord Rd, Wayne, ME 04284, USA [email protected]
(3) 8 Countryside Ct, Bluffton, SC, 29909, USA [email protected]
(4) CFRU, University of Maine, School of Forest Resources, 5755 Nutting Hall, Orono, ME 04469-
5755, USA [email protected]
ABSTRACT
Exotic European (L. decidua), Japanese
(L. kaempferi) and Dahurian larches (L.
gmelinii), and their hybrids, have been
planted in numerous small trials and
operational plantings in this region.
Estimated volume growth rates far exceed
what is obtained by native conifers.
Stands can reach small sawlog sizes in 16-
20 years. In one instance a stand was
harvested commercially at age 13.
Documented results show that, with only
basic management, planted larches can
offer another option for carbon forestry in
this region. The volume grown can be
used for long-lived wood products instead
of paper or energy as is expected with
other short-rotation intensive culture
(SRIC) species being studied in the
Northeast. We compare estimated carbon
storage results in a 60 year management
period using these larches. Forest
plantations offer only limited leverage on
the regional carbon budget, but we believe
larches deserve consideration as one
option. Finally, larch leaf litter is nutrient
rich and the species can be used in a
variety of silvicultural roles.
KEY FINDINGS
European and Japanese larch
growth rates far exceed native
conifers
Larch management is an option
for carbon forestry and
production of long-lived wood
products
Fourteen year old larch plantation, private
land, western Maine. D. I. Maass photo.
42
Estimated carbon storage results in a 60 year management period.
43
PATTERNS OF NONNATIVE INVASIVE PLANT SPECIES
DIVERSITY IN GYPSY MOTH DEFOLIATED FORESTS
Maryna Golivets (1), Christopher W. Woodall, and Kimberly F. Wallin
(1) Corresponding author: Rubenstein School Environment and Natural Resources,
University of Vermont, Burlington, VT 05405, USA
ABSTRACT
Northeastern forests are experiencing a constantly rising level of invasion by nonnative species, which is
associated with the increased probability of interactions within the nonnative component of the biota.
Here we studied regional patterns of nonnative plant species diversity in forests previously defoliated by
a highly invasive insect, gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar). We coupled gypsy moth disturbance data
available through the Forest Health Monitoring Program of the USDA Forest Service with data on
nonnative plant species collected within the Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) Program of the USDA
Forest Service. Across 10 eastern US states, we selected over 400 FIA plots that ranged in the total
number of gypsy moth outbreaks during the last 40 years from 0 to 10. We fitted generalized linear
mixed models to nonnative invasive plant species density and presence-absence data. To compare
species richness among defoliated and non-defoliated plots, we computed sample-based rarefaction
curves. Gypsy moth defoliation had a significant negative effect on presence and species richness of
nonnative invasive plants.
44
DELINEATING RIPARIAN AREAS IN WORKING FORESTS - FIXED
WIDTH VERSUS FUNCTIONAL?
Maneesha Jayasuriya, René H. Germain and Eddie Bevilacqua
Department of Forest and Natural Resources Management, State University of New York College of
Environmental Science and Forestry, 1 Forestry Drive, Syracuse, New York 13210. USA
[email protected], [email protected], [email protected]
ABSTRACT
Riparian management zones (RMZs) are often based on fixed-width buffers, which may result in
significant errors as they may or may not represent the actual extent of a functional riparian area. This
study in the Catskill region of New York examined the difference in area dedicated to RMZs on first and
second order streams using the fixed-width (100ft) versus the functional approach in both the field and
at a broader spatial scale using high resolution DEM data. Field sampling was done along six first order
streams and three second order streams resulting in a total stream sampling length of 4.187 km (2.6
miles). When comparing the two riparian area delineation methods, there was no significant difference
in terms of dedicated land area (11 %) to the RMZ. The digital delineation of the fixed-width and
functional-based riparian buffer was conducted across 4,457.42 km2 (1.1 million acres) of timberland in
the Catskill region using 10 randomized 36 million square meter blocks. A total of 397 first order and
139 second order streams/stream segments with a total stream length of 309.23 km (192.15 miles) were
analyzed using the two buffering approaches. Generally, the area dedicated to riparian protection was
8% of the timberland area and the fixed-width buffer over-delineated timberlands as riparian along first
order streams when compared to the functional based buffer. Therefore a fixed-width buffer may not be
ideal for headwaters especially in mature northern hardwood forests and a functional riparian area
allocation is more suitable for these streams.
45
REGENERATION RESPONSES TO MANAGEMENT FOR OLD-
GROWTH CHARACTERISTICS IN NORTHERN HARDWOOD-
CONIFER FORESTS
Aviva Joy Gottesman and William S. Keeton
Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, USA
[email protected] , [email protected]
ABSTRACT
Forest management practices interact with multiple sources of variability to influence regeneration
trends in northern hardwood forests. There is uncertainty whether low-intensity selection harvesting
techniques will result in adequate and desirable regeneration. Our research is part of a long-term study
that tests the hypothesis that a silvicultural approach called "structural complexity enhancement" (SCE)
can accelerate the development of late-successional forest structure and functions. Our objective is to
understand the regeneration dynamics following three uneven-aged forestry treatments modified to
increase postharvest structural retention: single-tree selection, group selection, and SCE. In terms of
regeneration density and diversity, how do light availability, competition, substrate, and herbivory
interact with treatment effects? To explore these relationships, manipulations and controls were
replicated across 2-hectare treatment units at two Vermont sites. Forest inventory data were collected
pre-harvest and over multiple time lags up to 13 years postharvest. We used mixed effects models with
repeated measures to evaluate the effect of treatment on seedling and sapling density and diversity
(Shannon-Weiner H').
The treatments were all successful in recruiting a sapling class with a significantly higher mean than the
control. However, due to high spatial variability, prolific beech sprouting dominates some patches in the
understory of all the treatments. Multivariate analyses suggest that while treatment had a dominant
effect, other factors were influential in driving regeneration responses. These results indicate variants of
uneven-aged systems that retain or enhance stand structural complexity, including old-growth
characteristics, generally foster abundant regeneration of important late successional tree species
depending on site conditions.
46
ENHANCED FOREST COVER MAPPING USING SPECTRAL
UNMIXING AND OBJECT-BASED CLASSIFICATION OF MULTI-
TEMPORAL LANDSAT IMAGERY
David Gudex-Cross(1), Jennifer Pontius(1,2), and Alison Adams(1)
(1) UVM Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources, (2)USFS Northern Research Station
[email protected] , [email protected] , [email protected]
ABSTRACT
Spatially-explicit tree species distribution maps are increasingly valuable to forest managers and
researchers, particularly in light of the effects of climate change and invasive pests on forest resources.
Advanced remote sensing techniques, such as spectral unmixing and object-based image analysis
(OBIA), offer novel approaches to mapping species distributions by providing information on
proportional species composition and classifying on a stand versus pixel level. This is particularly useful
in the Northeast where species composition is often highly heterogeneous. Using multi-temporal
Landsat imagery, we employed spectral unmixing to quantify percent basal area for ten regionally-
common tree species/genera. The percent basal area maps, along with ancillary environmental data,
were then used in an OBIA workflow to produce a thematic forest classification across northern New
York and Vermont.
Forest cover map spanning northern New York and Vermont produced by integrating
spectral unmixing of multi-temporal Landsat imagery and a rule-based, OBIA
classification scheme.
47
We compared the results of our integrated unmixing-OBIA thematic map to other large-scale forest
mapping efforts, including the National Land Cover Database (NLCD), National Forest Type Map
(NFTM), and LANDFIRE. Independent validation with 50 forest inventory plots across Vermont
indicated that our method was 38% accurate (84% fuzzed) at the species-type level, versus 28% (80%
fuzzed) for LANDFIRE, and 18% (70% fuzzed) for the NFTM. Since species-type level comparisons
were not possible with NLCD, the other three classifications were fuzzed to NLCD categories. Coarse
type accuracy was highest for our integrated product (74%), followed by LANDFIRE (66%), the NFTM
(62%), and NLCD (56%). These results demonstrate that our integrated unmixing-OBIA method offers
higher accuracy and increased specificity in forest cover mapping compared to existing datasets.
48
EVALUATING THE IMPACTS OF SOUTHERN PINE BEETLE ON
PITCH PINE FOREST DYNAMICS IN A NEWLY INVADED REGION
Molly Heuss(1), Anthony D’Amato(1), Kevin Dodds(2)
(1)University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont, USA, 05401, [email protected] , [email protected] (2)USDA Forest Service, Durham, New Hampshire, USA, 03824, [email protected]
ABSTRACT
Southern pine beetle (SPB), a native insect that has
historically affected pine ecosystems in the
southeastern U.S., has recently expanded
northward causing extensive tree mortality in pitch
pine (Pinus rigida) and pitch pine-oak forests of
eastern Long Island, NY. Given the historic lack of
SPB within these ecosystems, little is known
regarding its potential impacts on forest structure
and function. This study examined the immediate
effects of SPB-induced tree mortality and
suppression management on the structure and
composition of pitch pine and pitch pine-oak stands
(n=26) to inform management recommendations
and projections of future forest conditions.
Overstory pine importance values in unmanaged
stands declined by 64% following SPB, from an
average of 50% to 18%. Relative density of pitch
pine seedlings was higher in infested stands (μ=7%
vs. μ=0.5% in uninfested stands, P = 0.02). Although relative density of pitch pine saplings did not vary
significantly, unmanaged pine-dominated stands contained higher densities. Pitch pine comprised <6%
of seedlings and saplings, demonstrating a lack of available post-SPB pine regeneration. Collectively,
our results indicate SPB could functionally eliminate pitch pine from similar stands in the absence of
silvicultural or disturbance-mediated regeneration events, leading to increased hardwood species
dominance.
KEY FINDINGS
Pitch pine dominance
declined by 64% in
unmanaged stands
Relative importance of pitch
pine seedlings was higher in
infested stands
Pitch pine comprised <6%
of post-SPB regeneration
49
Standardized pitch pine seedling densities (blue; μ=746 stems ha-1) by treatment and cover
type were significantly lower than hardwood (grey; μ= 12333 stems ha-1) seedling densities
(P< 0.0001). Pitch pine densities were not significantly influenced by cover type or
treatment or combined effects.
50
IMPACTS OF WOODY BIOMASS DEMAND ON TIMBER MARKETS
IN NEW ENGLAND AND NEW YORK
Ted Howard(1) and Iuliia Drach
(1) Corresponding author: University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH 03825 USA
ABSTRACT
Due to the region's abundant forest resources and extensive wood harvesting and processing
infrastructure, there is interest in New England and New York in using woody biomass as a source of
renewable energy. To analyze the impacts of changes in woody biomass demand for energy production
on traditional timber markets, we analyzed a reference case and multiple demand and policy scenarios
using a modified Sub-Regional Timber Supply model (NE-SRTS). Three scenarios without residuals
harvesting restrictions were 1) a steady increase in woody biomass demand, 2) a rapid buildout of
planned woody biomass generation facilities, and 3) the eligibility of all hydropower for renewable
energy certificates (RECs). These scenarios were re-analyzed assuming a policy prohibition on the use
of logging residuals. For the reference case and six scenarios, the responses of inventory, removals and
price of four traditional wood product classes (hardwood pulpwood, hardwood sawtimber, softwood
pulpwood and softwood sawtimber) were modeled over a projection period of 50 years. Results show
that changes in woody biomass demand would affect the hardwood and softwood pulpwood markets,
resulting in price and removals increases compared to the reference case scenario in which the current
levels of wood biomass demand are assumed to remain constant. The sawtimber markets were not
influenced by these scenarios, suggesting that sawtimber inventory, removals and prices are largely
independent of woody biomass markets. Similar results were obtained when all scenarios were re-
examined via parametric changes in demand and supply elasticities favorable and unfavorable to timber
removals.
51
DAYDREAMS AND NIGHTMARES IN THE NORTHERN FOREST: A
QUARTER CENTURY OF CHANGE
Lloyd C. Irland(1)
President, The Irland Group, 174 Lord Road, Wayne, Maine 04284, USA, [email protected]
ABSTRACT This extended abstract summarizes some major
points that arise in assessing the situation in the
Northern Forest over the quarter century since
two major federally supported reports assessed
issues concerning its forests, forest industry,
and communities. The experience reminds us
of the limitations of our foresight; Daydreams
of a stable forest-based industry and hopes for
supportive policies were replaced by
nightmares of mill closures and dislocation in
local communities. Industry and other
landholders viewed as permanent fixtures of the
landscape vanished almost completely. Despite
these nightmares, some major conservation
achievements were made.
The Northern Forest is a term used by forest
activists, policy wonks and some geographers
to describe the forested regions of upstate New
York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine.
This is a region of scattered population,
glaciated hills and valleys, many lakes and
rivers, and several substantial mountain ranges
(Irland, 1999; 2011). In its fall displays of
color, the red and yellow maples and birches
are studded by dark green pines and spruce. It
is virtually the last redoubt of native brook trout populations; in a few coastal Maine streams tiny
surviving runs of Atlantic salmon cling to life. This region was accustomed to long-standing private
ownership by paper companies, well-established timber families, and Kingdom Owners– descendants of
New York wealth from the 1890’s, with their private lakes and “Adirondack Camps.” The region has an
aura of remoteness and wilderness character, regularly burnished by writers and artists since Thoreau’s
visits in the 1840’s and the glowing paintings of Hudson River School artists. Into countless households
each year, the mail order catalogs of the LL Bean Company arrive, their covers displaying appealing
images of wild solitude. They became the suburbanites’ mental picture of the Northwoods. Visitors were
KEY FINDINGS
Assessments of the Northern
Forest in 1990 and 1994 are
reviewed with the advantage of
hindsight.
Adverse developments in the
forest economy were foreseen
by nobody.
Conservation achievements in
the 4-state region varied
according to local political
cultures.
This was the period in which
conservation easements
became prominent.
52
often stunned, then, to drive into the woods and see logging trucks, recent clearcuts, and for sale signs
for wildland lots. Many wanted something done about it.
A regionwide outbreak of spruce budworm attacked spruce and fir stands from the early 70’s to the mid
80’s, leading to widely publicized spray programs and accelerated cutting in Maine where the effects
were most serious. Recreationists could readily access the most remote corners of the Northwoods on
gravel roads, following the end of log driving on the rivers.
This region was the culture hearth of the nation’s lumber, log driving, and paper industries; lobbyists
and executives for these industries once carried big sticks in state capitals. By the late 1980’s, though,
large private holdings were beginning to turn over to new owners, often non-industrial ones. Fears began
to spread that the traditional model of timberland ownership would burst wide open leading to
widespread shoddy subdividing and development, loss of public access, diminished timber supply, and
then loss of jobs as mills could not meet their wood needs. In 1990, and again in 1994, major studies
were done on these issues, funded by federal dollars.
By the early 1990s, it was thought that by judicious public policy, something resembling the
traditionally stable Northern Forest landscape could be retained, fostering stable employment in rural
areas and milltowns, widespread public access to private lands, and desirable wildlife habitat. In 1989, a
regionwide study was launched, the Northern Forest Lands Study, to assess these issues with a guiding
committee of state officials and stakeholders (USDA Forest Service and Governors’ Task Force, 1990).
Source: Northern Forest Lands Council, 1994. This region counted 26 million acres of forest in the
late 80s. The acreage of forest had barely changed by 2015. In 2015, the NFL region contained 56%
of all the forest land in the four states (USDA Forest Service data). Its boundaries were constructed
carefully: to avoid federal lands (as in VT and NH), and to avoid as much as possible any small
landholders and farmers, while including most of the largest timberland holdings of the region. Much
of the private ownership here has changed hands – some more than once, since 1990. For detailed
current data, see Shifley and Moser, (2016).
53
A followup in 2004 was a more ambitious effort to conduct detailed research and develop policy options
(Northern Forest Lands Council, 1994; Northeastern State Foresters Association, 2005).
These projects conducted local public meetings to obtain input and encountered loud protests from local
groups, especially in the Adirondacks, who – correctly — saw the reports as efforts to build support for
more land protection. They saw this as threats to their economy and autonomy (Porter, Erickson, and
Whalley, 2009). One result of this was that both reports, while depicting longterm issues and needs, had
to tread gingerly by burning incense to the idols of local stakeholder input before any recommendations
were made. In its 2004 Report, the Northern Forest Lands Council offered a saccharine vision of the
future forest and the industries and communities depending on it. They recognized that this could not be
achieved without improved public policies, for which they offered numerous suggestions. But they
assumed a level of stability in markets and industry structure that was not to be.
Rarely has there been a more dynamic period in
the region’s forest history than the 1990-2015
period. Numerous small wood processing
companies (Irland 2004) have been driven out of
business by furniture imports from China. From
2000 to 2015, newsprint usage nationally fell by
70%; printing and writing paper consumption by
one third. The post 2005 housing crash cut
national lumber production by half, and it has
since barely recovered. Today, there is no paper
being manufactured along Maine’s Penobscot
River, and lumber manufacturing remains as a
pale shadow of what once was. Primary paper
mills have virtually vanished from New York,
Vermont, and New Hampshire.
In parts of the region, more wood is being burned
to generate electricity than to make pulp or paper.
Had anyone in 1990 predicted all these events
they would have been dismissed as delusional.
Domestic market crashes and surges in imports
upset the hopes for a stable forest economy with
prospering little mill towns stretching from Tug
Hill to Eastern Maine.
The 1990 study was prompted by concerns that
industry would sell its land to others, who would
have less reason to keep it in forest and retain
public access customs. This concern proved all
too well founded: for a host of reasons, forest
industries sold off their holdings almost completely, and many of the mills as well (your present writer
was among those who failed to predict this). At one time, with a stroll down “Paper Industry Row”, on
E. 42d Street in New York, you could talk to the owners of much of the forest of the region, or at least
their Wall Street bankers. No longer. Many of the longtime family holdings, such as the Adirondack
Paper mill in Bucksport, Maine, running full
steam in better days. It is now being dismantled.
Its ownership history: St Regis to Champion to
International Paper to Verso to scrap dealer in
about 2 decades is not atypical of the
northeastern industry. In early summer in the late
1930s, the Penobscot River in the foreground
would be covered with pulpwood logs. Photo by
author.
54
“Kingdoms” held by heirs of the Robber Barons since the 1890s, went on the block as well. New owners
represented a wide variety of interests, including newly rich billionaires, and investment funds managed
for pension funds and institutions (Irland, Hagan, and Lutz, 2011). More than a little of this land found
its way into conservation uses via NGO’s, public agencies, and conservation easements.
The nightmares of the past quarter century cast doubt on the usefulness of efforts to develop “visions”
by negotiation among multi-stakeholder groups. Turning points as dramatic as these cannot be foreseen,
and even if they are, few stakeholders welcome bad news. Shared visions may even induce
complacency, suggesting that everybody believes nothing will really change. One-time efforts by large
study groups contain no provision for keeping track to see if assumptions underlying visions are
changing. Finally, struggling for agreement on visions may take time better spent on more concrete
matters. It could be easier to agree on some of those than on grand overarching visions. Some leaders
seem to believe in a therapeutic effect of discussing larger issues and long-term visions, apparently in
the hope that divisive issues will more readily yield to agreement once the big picture is agreed upon.
Experience suggests that this assumption is often off the mark.
From some perspectives, progress has been made: counting fee ownership and conservation easements,
19% of Maine is now in conservation ownership. Important gaps in the Adirondack Park have been
filled in. In many areas, however, the resource “took a haircut” in this process as smaller tracts and
outholdings were sold off. Often the buyers were exploitive “liquidators” who stripped the timber and
sold the land as “leisure lots” in sizes that would elude local land use controls (if there were any at all).
Today, many who loved to hate the paper companies wistfully admit that they wish we could go back to
those times. Fortunately, the housing crash has cut deeply into demand for such lots, but signs of
gentrification on large “view lots” are emerging once again, especially near ski areas. The old rustic “ski
chalet”, often self-built, is being replaced by virtual mansions, with 2 car garages and mowed lawns.
Development on view lots is eroding the sense of remoteness that once characterized much of this
region, with implications for public access and wildlife habitat that are only beginning to be recognized.
Political cultures regarding public land ownership and regulation vary from state to state across this
region, despite its apparent ecological and economic similarities. Substate institutions have arisen in
New York (Adirondack Park Authority), New Hampshire (unincorporated portions of Coos county), and
Maine (Land Use Planning Commission for 10 million acres lacking any local government). A major
influence has been concentrations of wealth and population in the Boston-New York coastal strip. The
Northern Forest is the recreational and second home backdrop for these regions, and most of the
conservation accomplishment has been lobbied from those urban areas. So the region has a distinct
north-south political divide. Broadly speaking, advocates of the National Forests on Vermont and New
Hampshire have allowed the 2 states to pass much of the cost and bureaucracy of administering
dispersed forest recreation to federal taxpayers. In New York and Maine, by contrast, there is very little
federal conservation land, while New York’s constitutional Forever Wild in the Adirondacks represents
a huge state-managed stretch of wild land.
Both Maine and New York are not favorable to federal ownership, except where federal dollars will pick
up costly coastal property (e.g. Acadia NP; Rachel Carson NWR; Fire Island National Seashore on Long
Island … but these are not in the Northern Forest). One lesson has been that creating federal land units
has been far easier than administering them. Drawing lines on maps cannot make the divisions among
various publics go away. Since 1990, changes in fee ownership in the Northern Forest have not been
substantial, amounting to only about 800,000 acres leaving private ownership over the quarter century.
55
Most of the conservation achievement has been via conservation easements, which represent the
removal of development rights from land remaining in private hands. Note that in Maine, the September
2016 donation creating the Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument increased federal
ownership by 87,000 acres, an immediate increase of 49%.
A full picture of conservation includes lands covered by easements. In Maine, more land is under
easements than owned in fee. New York, with its large Blue line ownerships in the Catskill s and the
Adirondacks, is at the other end of the spectrum, relying far less on easements.
The past quarter century has seen a remarkable
degree of “outsourcing” of conservation
funding, project negotiation and ongoing
management, and financing. Much of the
formerly public business of conservation has
been delegated to a wide range of local,
statewide, and national NGO’s specializing in
such work. Public funding support and
cooperation was usually involved. This
enabled the deployment of nongovernmental
arbiters well positioned to serve as negotiators
and to bring specialized skills and people
power to understaffed and overloaded public
agencies. It is hard to think of a major
conservation accomplishment of this period
that did not rely heavily on outsourcing. This
has come to be seen as the normal way of
doing business, when it in fact is a recent
innovation.
The entire region has been accustomed to urban
and suburban elites picking and choosing
locations for National Parks and other major
conservation units, perhaps to a degree
unmatched elsewhere in the country. This has
yielded major conservation successes: the
Adirondack Park, Acadia NP, the White
Mountain National Forest, and Baxter State
Park. Yet it exacerbates the north-south
political divides noted above.
In Maine, since about 2010 an organized
program of blowback against the programs
favored by Northern Forest Lands advocates
has been under way. A Republican governor
and legislative allies have been blocking Maine’s premier land conservation program, attempting to roll
back other conservation policies, and trying to pull the teeth from Maine’s Land Use Regulation
Commission (newly renamed the Land Use Planning Commission and asked to work with more county
These are proportions of total land area owned in
fee by states and by the states plus federal agencies.
Accurate data on county and municipal lands are
elusive. These figures refer to fee simple ownership
only. Conservation easements, especially in Maine,
augment these figures substantially.
56
input). This revolt may be narrowly based on a few discontented small businesses in rural areas, but it
has had an impact. Leaders of the blowback have not, it seems, paid any political price for their actions.
Conservation and environmental groups seem slow to realize the implications.
In 2016, the entomologists are telling us that the spruce budworm is coming back – and its ultimate
spread and impacts are unpredictable (Maine Forest Service, 2016). This brings a further dark cloud to
the horizon for private forest owners.
The Northern Forest’s history of land use change, the underlying forces, and the effectiveness – or lack
thereof—of state and federal forest policies offer many important topics for study by geographers, land
use experts, foresters, and others (Wallach, 1980). The literature of the field seems sparse in attention to
this unusual region; perhaps the Boston meeting of the American Association of Geographers in 2017
will stimulate more interest.
A number of questions emerge from this quick tour of the Northern Forest policy landscape over the
past 25 years:
Is public support for conservation much lower than we’d like to think?
Have our conservation priorities really been in the right places?
Is “recreation” alone a sound justification for “conservation” in the wildlands?
What is really the future of commercial forest management in this region?
Why have we learned so little about effective policy?
Lloyd C. Irland, a forestry consultant in Maine, former forestry school instructor, and public official in Maine state
government, contributed land use analysis to the 1990 Northern Forest Lands study and is author of many papers on forest
resources as well as 2 books on the northeast’s forests. The title of this article does homage to Daydreams and Nightmares,
a 1971 book by my colleague W. R. Burch Jr, who was one of the earliest to apply sociological insights to forest resource and
natural resource problems.
Acknowledgement: This article originally appeared in the AAG Newsletter of the Association of American Geographers. It
has been slightly expanded for this Proceedings. It is available at http://news.aag.org/2016/09/daydreams-and-nightmares-
in-the-northern-forest-a-quarter-century-of-change/
REFERENCES
Burch, W. R. Jr. 1971. Daydreams and Nightmares: a sociological essay on the American
Environment.New York: Harper and Row.
Foster, David R. et al. 2010. Wildlands & Woodlands: A Vision for the New England
Landscape.Petersham: Harvard Forest. May. http://www.wildlandsandwoodlands.org/
57
Irland, Lloyd C. The Northeast’s Changing Forest. Harvard Forest, Petersham, MA (dist. By Harvard
Univ. Press). 1999.
Irland, L. C., J. Hagan, and J. Lutz. 2011. Large timberland transactions in the Northern Forest 1980 –
2006. Yale Global Institute for Sustainable Forestry. Private Forests Working Paper No.
11. http://gisf.yale.edu/publications-presentations/gisf-research-reports
Irland, Lloyd C. 2004. Maine’s forest industry: from one era to another. In: R. E. Barringer (ed.)
Changing Maine. Gardiner, Maine: Tilbury House, pp. 362-387.
Irland, Lloyd C. 2011. “New England Forests: Two Centuries of a Changing Landscape”In, B.
Harrison and R. Judd, eds. New England: A Landscape History. Cambridge: MIT Press. Pp. 53-
70.
Maine Forest Service 2016. Spruce Budworm Internet
Hub: http://www.maine.gov/dacf/mfs/forest_health/insects/spruce_budworm_2014.htm
Northern Forest Lands Council. 1994. Finding common ground: Conserving the Northern Forest.
Recommendations of the Northern Forest Lands Council. Concord, NH.
Northeastern State Foresters Association.2005. Northern Forest Lands Council 10th Anniversary Forum.
Concord. Northeastern State Foresters
Association. www.nefainfo.org/uploads/2/7/4/5/27453461/nflcfr_final…
Porter, W. F., J. D. Erickson, and R. S. Whalley. 2009. The Great Experiment in Conservation: Voices
from the Adirondack Park. Syracuse: Syracuse University Press.
USDA Forest Service and Governors’ Task Force. 1990. Northern Forest Lands Study. USDA Forest
Service, Rutland, VT.
Shifley, S. R. and W, K. Moser, eds. 2016. Future forests of the northern United States. Gen Tech Rep
NRS-151. Newtown Square, USDA Forest Service Northern Research station, 388 pp.
Wallach, Bret. 1980. “Logging in Maine’s Empty Quarter” Annals of the Association Geographers, vol.
70 (4):542-552.
58
SILICA ACCUMULATION IN DECIDUOUS TREES: COULD IT BE A
SUBSTITUTE FOR LIGNIN?
Roxane Jaffray(1)(2), Benoît Côté(1)(2)
(1) Department of Natural Resource Sciences, McGill University,21,111 Lakeshore Road, Sainte-Anne-
de-Bellevue, Quebec H9X 3V9, Canada; [email protected] ; [email protected] (2)Centre d’Étude de la Forêt, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montreal, Quebec H3C 3P8, Canada.
ABSTRACT
Silicates are ubiquitous in natural systems. The
accumulation of silicon (Si) by plants has been
studied in various agricultural crops with findings
that Si deprived plants are often structurally
weaker and more susceptible to abnormalities of
growth, development and reproduction. Limited
studies have focused on trees in temperate forests.
Si could be 10-20 times energetically cheaper
than lignin while having a similar effect on the
cell wall. This could confer a competitive
advantage for Si-accumulating plants.
In this study, we hypothesized that trees that are
high in leaf Si have lower leaf lignin and higher
tannin concentrations. The International Diversity
Experiment Network with Trees (IDENT)
plantation situated in Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue,
Quebec, was used to examine over a four-month growing period how foliar Si concentration varies
among nine deciduous tree species and in relation to leaf chemical properties such as lignin, cellulose
and tannins. Trees were sampled from monoculture plots in each of the four blocks. Leaf Si
concentration was determined through oven-induced digestion and colorimetric analysis, while lignin
was by ADF and ADL procedures. Condensed tannins were extracted with 50% methanol, followed by a
proanthocyanidins assay with acid butanol. Si concentrations were negatively correlated with lignin
(r=0.7) and condensed tannins (r=0.5) (species average used). Takashi and colleagues (1990)
characterized three discerning groups for plant species, these were identified as Si accumulators (Si
content higher than 1.0%), Si-excluders (Si content lower than 0.5%) and Si-intermediates (Si content
in-between 1.0% and 0.5%).
Our results suggest that American beech and sugar maple are active Si accumulators, Norway maple and
red maple are Si- intermediates (also referred to as passive accumulators), and English oak, red oak,
yellow birch, paper birch and littleleaf linden are Si-excluders. Both American beech and sugar maple
had low lignin concentrations with high silica contents. The highest condensed tannins results were
expressed in American beech and yellow birch, whereas red maple had the lowest condensed tannin leaf
concentration. Unlike the other species, beech had relatively high condensed tannin paired with high Si
KEY FINDINGS
American beech and sugar
maple are Si accumulators.
Results for beech, a shade
tolerant species, support the
hypothesis that leaves with a
high Si content are lower in
lignin and higher in tannin
concentrations.
59
concentrations, suggesting that the Si and phenolic pathways in leaves could be interdependent in that
species.
All Si-excluders demonstrated a low Si to
cellulose ratio. Red oak and yellow birch
species had high lignin, and low Si
concentrations thus supporting the hypothesis of
an inverse relationship. Red oak had a high
lignin concentration along with a high lignin to
cellulose ratio and low tannins concentration.
Further research is necessary to determine the
underlying mechanisms and functions of Si in
the cellulose, tannin and lignin metabolism of
hardwoods.
Top: Species Si concentration (%): Si
accumulators’ American beech and sugar
maple, above or equal to 1%, are in green. Si
passive accumulators Norway and red maple
are in yellow. Si-excluders English and, red
oak, yellow and paper birch, littleleaf linden,
below 0.5%, are in blue. The vertical bar
indicates that American beech was sampled at a
different site from the other species, not
included in the statistics. Means within species
followed by the same letter are not significantly
different (p<0.05).
Middle: Condensed tannin concentrations (mg
catechin equiv. g -1). Green = Si accumulators,
yellow= Si passive accumulators, blue= Si-
excluders. Means within species followed by the
same letter are not significantly different
(p<0.05).
Bottom: Lignin concentrations (%).Green = Si
accumulators, yellow= Si passive accumulators,
blue= Si-excluders. Means within species
followed by the same letter are not significantly
different (p<0.05).
60
ASSESSING VULNERABILITY OF FOREST ECOSYSTEMS IN NEW
ENGLAND AND NORTHERN NEW YORK
Maria Janowiak(1), Tony D’Amato(2), Chris Swanston(3), Leslie Brandt(4), Patricia Butler(5),
Stephen Handler(6), Danielle Shannon(7)
(1)Northern Institute of Applied Climate Science, USDA Forest Service, 410 MacInnes Dr., Houghton
MI 49931, USA, [email protected]
(2)Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources University of Vermont 204E Aiken Center
Burlington, VT 05405, USA, [email protected]
(3)Northern Institute of Applied Climate Science, Northern Research Station, USDA Forest Service, 410
MacInnes Dr., Houghton MI 49931, USA, [email protected] (4)Northern Institute of Applied Climate Science, USDA Forest Service, 1992 Folwell Ave., St. Paul, MN
55108, USA, [email protected]
(5)Northern Institute of Applied Climate Science, School of Forest Resources and Environmental
Science, Michigan Technological University, 1400 Townsend Drive, Houghton, MI 49931, USA,
(6)Northern Institute of Applied Climate Science, USDA Forest Service, 410 MacInnes Dr., Houghton,
MI 49931, USA, [email protected] (7)Northern Institute of Applied Climate Science, School of Forest Resources and Environmental
Science, Michigan Technological University, 1400 Townsend Drive, Houghton, MI 49931, USA,
ABSTRACT
There is a growing interest among forest managers
for integrating information about anticipated
climate impacts and risks into management
planning and activities. Vulnerability assessments
can serve a critical role in this integration by
providing credible, high-quality information at the
scales most relevant to management. We used the
latest scientific research to develop a vulnerability
assessment for forest ecosystems in New England
and northern New York in order to inform
management planning and actions.
We used the ecosystem vulnerability assessment
approach (described by Brandt et al. 2016) to
assess the vulnerability of the region’s forests
across a range of possible future climates
(Janowiak et al. in review). New projections of
forest change from three forest impacts models—
the Climate Change Tree Atlas, Linkages, and
KEY FINDINGS
The area’s forests will
increasingly be affected by a
changing climate.
Understanding potential
impacts is a critical for
sustaining forests.
Some tree species and
forests communities are
more vulnerable.
61
LANDIS PRO—were combined with a review of recent literature to understand the potential for forest
change during the next century under different climate scenarios. An “expert panel” of research
scientists and forest practitioners then worked together to consider this information, as well as their
personal experience and expertise on local ecosystems, to assess the vulnerability of eight forest
communities present across the region.
KEY FINDINGS: CLIMATE
The climate has changed. Over the past century, the region has warmed by about 2.4° F on average.
Winter temperatures have increased the most, and average winter temperatures are now 3.5 °F warmer
than in the early 1900s. Warmer temperatures have increased the growing season by more than 10 days.
Precipitation has increased across the region, with the greatest increases occurring in October and
November. Across the region, much of the additional precipitation is coming in heavy rain events.
Current distribution of forest communities include in the vulnerability assessment. Forest
communities are aggregated from vegetation macrogroups provided in the Terrestrial Habitat
Map for the Northeast US and Atlantic Canada (available via the Conservation Gateway at
https://goo.gl/8JYzQt).
62
Temperatures will increase. All global climate models project that temperatures will increase in the
region. Model projections suggest an increase in temperature over the next century by 2 to 8 °F in all
seasons. Growing seasons will continue to lengthen due to warmer temperatures. Evidence suggests
that winter temperatures will increase in the area, even under low emissions, leading to changes in snow
patterns and freeze-thaw cycles.
Precipitation will change. Precipitation is projected to increase in winter. There are greater differences
in model projections for the growing season, but evidence seems to indicate there may be a decrease in
summer precipitation in at least some parts of the region. Even if the total amount of annual
precipitation increases, some evidence suggests it may fall during heavier rain events interspersed
among relatively drier periods.
KEY FINDINGS: FORESTS
Soil moisture patterns will change, and vegetation may experience moisture stress. Seasonal
changes in precipitation are expected across the assessment area, and the trend toward more frequent
heavy rainfall events is expected to continue. Warmer winters may lead to earlier snowmelt in the
spring, and longer growing seasons combined with warmer temperatures may lead to more frequent
moisture stress during the growing season.
Northern species will face increasing stress from climate change. Each species will have a unique
response to climate change. Several northern and boreal species, such as black spruce, red spruce,
tamarack, and paper birch, are expected to have reduced habitat and productivity by the end of the 21st
century. The degree to which tree species decline will vary greatly by location and site conditions, with
greater risk at southern locations and low elevations.
Southern species will be favored by climate change. Many tree species currently at the central or
northern extent of their range are projected to have increases in habitat and productivity through the
next century. Some species present south of the assessment area are projected to increase, but
fragmentation may limit natural migration of these species.
Species and forests that can tolerate disturbance are at lower risk. Climate change is expected to
increase some types of disturbance over the next century, including extreme rain events, floods, and
pest outbreaks. Tree species and forest types that are better able tolerate these disturbances may be
favored. At the same time, it still may be possible for disturbance-adapted systems to undergo too much
disruption.
Healthy and diverse forests generally have greater resilience to change. Studies have consistently
shown that more-diverse ecosystems are more resilient to changing conditions, while those with lower
diversity have fewer options to respond to change. There are many aspects to forest diversity—
including species, structural, and genetic diversity—and each of these can generally help reduce risk
and increase the ability of forests to adapt to climate change.
63
VULNERABILITY OF FOREST COMMUNITIES
Climate change will not affect all forest species, communities, and parts of the landscape in the same
way. Montane spruce-fir, low-elevation spruce-fir, and lowland mixed conifer forests were determined
to be the most vulnerable because a number of important northern and boreal species are expected to
decline. Central hardwoods, transition hardwoods, and pitch-pine scrub oak forests were perceived as
having lower vulnerability to projected changes in climate because these forests contain species are
generally expected to be favored under climate change. These vulnerability determinations generally
apply across the landscape, but they will be influenced by local conditions, forest management, and land
use. Projected changes in climate and their associated impacts and vulnerabilities will have important
implications for ecologically and economically valuable forest types, forest-dependent wildlife and
plants, recreation, and long-term natural resource planning.
LITERATURE CITED
Brandt, L.A., P.R. Butler, S.D. Handler, M.K. Janowiak, P.D. Shannon, C.W. Swanston. 2016.
Integrating science and management to assess forest ecosystem vulnerability to climate change.
http://dx.doi.org/10.5849/jof.15-147
Janowiak, M.K., A.W. D’Amato, C.W. Swanston, L.R. Iverson, F. Thompson III, W. Dijak, S.
Matthews, M. Peters, A. Prasad, J.S. Fraser, L.A. Brandt, P.R. Butler, S.D. Handler, P.D. Shannon, D.
Burbank, J. Campbell, C. Cogbill, M.J. Duveneck, M. Emery, N. Fisichelli, J. Foster, J. Hushaw, L.
Kenefic, A. Mahaffey, T.L. Morelli, N. Reo, P. Schaberg, K.R. Simmons, A. Weiskittel, S. Wilmot, D.
Hollinger, E. Lane, L. Rustad, P. Templer. in review. New England and New York Forest Ecosystem
Vulnerability Assessment and Synthesis: a report from the New England Climate Change Response
Framework. Newtown Square, PA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Northern Research
Station.
64
IMPACTS OF BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES ON LOGGING
COSTS AND PRODUCTIVITY
Matthew C. Kelly(1), Rene' H. Germain and Steven Bick
(1) Corresponding author: Michigan Technological University, School of Forest Resources and
Environmental Science, 178 Noblet Horner Hall, Houghton, Michigan, USA [email protected]
ABSTRACT
Best management practices (BMPs) effectively mitigate erosion and sedimentation during and
immediately following harvest operations. The responsibility of implementing BMPs typically falls on
loggers, with implications for higher harvesting costs and, possibly, reduced logging productivity. Two
methods were used to assess impacts of BMPs on logging operations in the Northeast U.S. First, a case
study was conducted using shift-level production and activity data and machine rate calculations to
assess impacts of BMP implementation for eight harvest operations, ranging from single-operator hand-
felling systems to fully mechanized whole-tree and cut-to-length systems. Second, a survey was
conducted in which loggers were asked to estimate the number days required to complete a hypothetical
timber harvest with and without a set of prescribed BMPs and to indicate their minimum acceptable
contract rates for each. The combined results revealed a range of costs from $0/ac to $62/ac and
decreases in productivity between 0% and 20%.
65
MANAGING MULTI-AGED MIXEDWOOD STANDS:
PERSPECTIVES FROM THE PENOBSCOT EXPERIMENTAL
FOREST IN MAINE, USA
Laura S. Kenefic(1) and Robert S. Seymour(2)
(1)U.S. Forest Service, Northern Research Station, Bradley, ME, USA [email protected]
(2)University of Maine, School of Forest Resources, Orono, ME, USA [email protected]
ABSTRACT
For more than 60 years, researchers at the Penobscot Experimental Forest in Maine, USA have been
studying multi-aged silviculture in mixedwood (softwood and hardwood) stands. Forest composition is
dominated by Tsuga canadensis, Abies balsamea, and Picea rubens in mixture with other softwoods
(Pinus strobus and Thuja occidentalis) and hardwoods (Acer, Betula, Quercus, and Populus species).
Management is complicated by intermingling of species with different silvical properties and different
vulnerabilities to forcing agents. Findings reveal expected shifts in composition: proportions of shade-
tolerant species increased in treatments with light removals and small (i.e. single-tree) canopy openings,
while proportions of intermediate and shade-intolerant species increased in treatments with larger
canopy openings (i.e., gaps). In addition, we observed differences in treatment outcomes related to
selective herbivory (e.g., browsing of T. occidentalis and P. rubens) and species-specific regeneration
substrate requirements and growth potentials that affect relative abundance and recruitment rates.
Managing submerchantable classes to direct stand composition and development has emerged as an
important part of multi-aged management in this forest type. Overall we found that advantages of
mixedwoods are not fully realized in lowland Picea-Abies stands if heavy partial cutting increases
hardwoods at the expense of desired softwoods. Recommendations based on observations of classical
(selection) and ecological (Acadian Femelschlag) uneven-aged silvicultural systems include managing
regeneration with a shelterwood sequence, gaps and reserve trees, or early stand tending.
66
TIMBER HARVESTING THROUGH SPACE AND TIME:
UNDERSTANDING AND MANAGING FORESTS ACROSS THE
RURAL-SUBURBAN INTERFACE
David B. Kittredge(1) (2) (4), Jonathan R. Thompson(1), Luca Morreale(1),
Anne G. Short Gianotti(3), Lucy Hutyra(3)
(1) Harvard Forest. 324 North Main Street, Petersham, MA USA 01366 (2) Department of Environmental Conservation. University of Massachusetts. Amherst, MA USA
(3) Department of Earth and Environment. Boston University. Boston, MA USA
[email protected] , [email protected] , [email protected] , [email protected] ,
ABSTRACT
Many small private forest owners perceive non-consumptive or appreciative benefits from their woods
to be incompatible with harvesting, and hence decide to not manage. In addition to these owner
attitudes, other related landscape context factors may influence the likelihood of harvest, including
general population density, road density, size of properties (and hence available volume of timber),
population or development pressure (e.g., real estate values, new building permits), and extent to which
the landscape is forested. These factors and others can also differentially influence the likelihood of
harvest on public lands in this larger forested matrix and across this rural - suburban interface. In
addition, the situation is likely a dynamic one, and properties that yielded timber in the past may no
longer do so today. This study examines the diversity of social and biophysical factors that combine to
influence the probability of harvest under dynamic rural-to-suburban conditions in Massachusetts.
Timber harvest regulatory data over 30 years on private and public ownerships throughout 328 towns in
the state of Massachusetts provide an indication of the likelihood of harvest over time. The results of
where harvest occurs and does not occur in the suburban-rural interface influence the availability of
timber to support local economies, and the ecological structure and composition of remaining forest
(e.g., carbon sequestration) in the future.
67
SILVICULTURAL EFFECTS ON COMPOSITION AND STRUCTURE
OF NORTHERN CONIFERS IN THE ACADIAN FOREST REGION:
THE COMPARTMENT MANAGEMENT STUDY IN MAINE, USA
Rachel A. Knapp(1), Laura S. Kenefic(2), Aaron Weiskittel(3)
(1)University of Maine, School of Forest Resources, Nutting Hall, Orono, ME, USA 04469,
(2)U.S. Forest Service, Penobscot Experimental Forest, 686 Government Road, Bradley, ME USA 04411,
(3)University of Maine, School of Forest Resources, Nutting Hall, Orono, ME, USA 04469,
ABSTRACT
The Penobscot Experimental Forest (PEF),
located in Bradley, Maine, is one of 80
experimental forests and ranges maintained by the
U.S. Forest Service nationwide. This experimental
forest was established in 1950 and has been the
home to dozens of studies over the years. The
forest is within the Acadian Forest and is
dominated by red spruce, balsam fir and eastern
hemlock along with red maple and paper birch.
The Compartment Management Study (CMS, a
spruce-fir silviculture study) was established in
1952. Eight treatment types plus a control are
managed, in replicate, across approximately 400
acres. The treatments include uneven-aged
silviculture (5, 10, and 20 year selection cycles),
even-aged silviculture (2 and 3 stage
shelterwood), and exploitive cutting practices
(fixed diameter limit, modified diameter limit and
commercial clearcut).
In partnership with the Forest Service’s Research
Data Archive, data and metadata from the CMS has been published online. These data tables include
diameter at breast height and/or diameter class for sapling and overstory trees; spatial distribution, total
height, base to live crown height and crown radii for select overstory trees; and regeneration inventories.
KEY FINDINGS
Primary study objective is to
quantify response to
silvicultural treatment.
The study has been ongoing
since 1952.
Data is available online:
http://www.fs.usda.gov/rds/a
rchive/Product/RDS-2012-
0008-2
68
Published data were reviewed and a snapshot of results showing spruce budworm mortality were
considered.
This graph shows change in basal area over time from the first inventory to the last for the
two 10 year selection cycle compartments, Compartment 12 and 20. The top two lines
represent live trees only. The bottom two lines represent trees that dies during a spruce
budworm outbreak. The stands were harvested every 10 years. The growth and harvest
pattern was changed due to the budworm outbreak.
69
INVESTIGATING THE SURPRISING, RECENT GROWTH
INCREASE OF RED SPRUCE TREES ACROSS THE REGION
Alexandra M. Kosiba(1), Paul G. Schaberg(2), Shelly Rayback(3) Gary Hawley(1)
(1)The University of Vermont, Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources, Burlington, VT
05405, USA, [email protected] , [email protected] (2)Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Northern Research Station, Burlington, VT 05405,
USA, [email protected] (3)The University of Vermont, Department of Geography, Burlington, VT 05405, USA,
ABSTRACT
Recent investigations have uncovered an
unanticipated trend: red spruce (Picea rubens
Sarg.) trees in the northeastern US are
undergoing a marked surge in growth. This
discovery stands in contrast to the declines in
growth and vigor for red spruce that were
documented in the second half of the 20th
century and attributed to acid deposition-
induced calcium depletion. Further, predictions
of potential range shifts due to climate change
depict red spruce habitat constricting from low
elevations and latitudes. Considering these
conflicting findings, we asked: what factors are
most likely stimulating growth increases for red
spruce? Here we use a uniquely large and both
spatially- and temporally-explicit tree ring
dataset to assess changes in red spruce growth
over time. We compare patterns in growth to
local weather data, atmospheric deposition
rates, and other environmental and forest-stand
metrics, including soil nutrient status and
buffering capacity. These results allow us to
model areas in the region where we predict
similar growth increases for red spruce.
Through this study, we suggest that this
temperate conifer may be uniquely poised to benefit from a lengthened functional growing season,
increased annual temperatures, particularly in winter, and decreased atmospheric pollution levels that
proved problematic in the past.
KEY FINDINGS
Red spruce trees have shown
unprecedented growth rates in
recent years.
This trend is not dependent on
elevation.
Reduced pollution and climate
warming may play a part in this
change.
We found positive
relationships with winter,
annual temperature and rain
pH.
70
Detrended and standardized ring width index values for red spruce trees at >55 plots (n trees: 688)
and displayed by elevation category (low <650 m, high >950 m). Recent growth increases are
evident for all elevations.
71
ENVIRONMENTAL VARIABLES ASSOCIATED WITH INVASIVE
GLOSSY BUCKTHORN (FRANGULA ALNUS MILL.) AND
INDIRECT CONTROL STRATEGIES FOR FOREST MANAGERS
Joshua Kozikowski and Ted Howard
University of New Hampshire, College of Life Sciences and Agriculture, Rudman Hall, 46 College Road,
Durham, New Hampshire 03824 USA [email protected]
ABSTRACT
Glossy buckthorn (Frangula alnus Mill.) is one of the most prominent nonnative invasive woody plant
species affecting New England forests. We investigated the environmental variables associated with
glossy buckthorn density and its effect on native tree regeneration in forested ecosystems by sampling in
three locations across New Hampshire, USA. The objective was to gain an understanding of where
glossy buckthorn grows to better manage the species indirectly through silviculture and management.
Glossy buckthorn was found at its highest densities in disturbed white pine (Pinus strobus L.) forests
that were historically old fields, with a thin organic layer and low herbaceous cover, on drained loam
and clay soils. Scatter plots and generalized linear models showed that organic layer thickness,
dominant overstory species, percent herbaceous cover, drainage class, soil type, historical land use, and
evidence of harvest were the most influential variables in predicting density of buckthorn. Relationships
between buckthorn and environmental variables were much stronger in softwood stands than hardwood
stands. Softwood stands were primarily white pine and some eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis). We
found evidence of direct competition between glossy buckthorn and native regeneration although there
was no effect on the average shade tolerance of native species regenerating with glossy buckthorn
present. With this information we designed a proto-type prescription risk tree for forest managers faced
with risk and uncertainty when planning a harvest in the presence of glossy buckthorn.
72
CAPACITY FOR RECOVERY, INFLEUNCE OF COMMERICAL
THINNING & RESISTANCE TO DEFOLIATION IN SPRUCE-FIR
FORESTS
CJ Langley (1), Mike Day (1), Brian Roth (2)
(1) University of Maine, Orono ME, USA, [email protected]; [email protected] (2) Cooperative Forestry Research Unit, Orono ME, USA, [email protected]
ABSTRACT
To manage the stress caused by large scale,
repeat defoliation caused by the eastern spruce
budworm (Choristoneura fumiferana), trees
must balance nonstructural carbohydrate (NSC)
reserves between tolerance and defensive
strategies. A tree’s ability to tolerate and recover
following an outbreak is linked to the pool of
NSC available to stimulate growth of latent
buds, while secondary defensive compounds,
such as soluble phenolics, measured as tannic
acid equivalence (TAE), provide resistance
against defoliation. Although commercial
thinning treatments have the potential to
increase NSC pools, and defoliation has the
potential to induce the production of secondary
defensive compounds, studies conducted during
past outbreaks have reported conflicting results.
This study evaluates the eco-physiological
responses of red spruce (Picea rubens) and
balsam fir (Abies balsamea) to stand-level
thinning and artificial defoliation treatments across three experimental locations throughout the state of
Maine. In contrast to carbohydrate allocation theory, the results of this study suggest that stand level
thinning treatments lower the NSC concentrations available to both species which could leave trees
within thinned stands vulnerable during an outbreak. The production of secondary defensive compounds
was not induced in response to the artificial defoliation treatments. Contrary to expectations, balsam fir
was found to maintain higher concentrations of both NSC and TAE than red spruce, which should mean
that balsam fir is better adapted to tolerate and resist defoliation caused by the spruce budworm.
However, this is not the trend that has been reported historically when defoliation and mortality of the
species are compared.
KEY FINDINGS
Storage allocation patterns are
consistent with species life
history strategy.
Balsam fir maintains higher
concentrations of NSC & TAE.
Thinning lowers NSC.
Defoliation treatment did not
trigger the production of 2°
defensive compounds.
73
Thinned stands represent a considerable investment on the part of forest managers and should be a top
priority for insecticide applications to protect foliage and/or (pre)salvage harvest operations. However,
this study was unable to decipher the impact thinning intensity or timing of treatments have on
concentrations of NSC and vulnerability. To best predict risk and determine the proper course of action,
forest managers must work with researchers and outreach specialists across the ECANUSA region to
monitor populations early using pheromone traps, L2 density surveys, and satellite imagery to monitor
moth migrations.
Effect of thinning on NSC concentrations in large branch storage pools. Thinning treatments
lower the concentration of NSC available within large branch storage pools for both red
spruce and balsam fir. Species data has been pooled, p < 0.01, bars represent standard
errors, N= 118.
74
ECONOMIC IMPACTS OF EARLY INTERVENTION TO SUPPRESS
A SPRUCE BUDWORM OUTBREAK IN NORTHERN NEW
BRUNSWICK
Eric Ye Liu (1), Van A. Lantz(1), David A. MacLean(1)
(1)Forestry and Environmental Management,
University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, NB, Canada
ABSTRACT
Spruce budworm (Choristoneura fumiferana Clem.) (SBW) causes large scale spruce-fir mortality and
major regional economic losses. Under uncontrolled moderate and severe SBW outbreaks, total output
in the New Brunswick (NB) economy over the 2012-2041 period would decline in present-value terms
by CDN $3.3 billion and $4.7 billion, respectively (Chang et al. 2012). Past management against SBW
outbreaks has been reactive, using large-scale pesticide aerial spraying programs to keep trees alive
rather than alter SBW population dynamics. Recently, the concept of an early intervention strategy to
reduce the upcoming SBW outbreak has been proposed and is being tested in NB. An early intervention
strategy would involve intensive monitoring and early detection of low but rising SBW populations,
small area target-specific pesticide application, and tools and techniques to disrupt SBW moth mating
and migration. By spraying biological insecticide on SBW 'hotspots', an early intervention strategy
would control low but rising SBW populations to prevent hotspots from developing into epicenters that
trigger a regional outbreak. We are studying the costs and benefits of an early intervention strategy,
relative to reactive SBW management. Alternative SBW hotpot temporal and spatial dynamics, resulting
spruce-fir defoliation levels, and an early intervention treatment plan are being simulated for all 2.8
million hectares of Crown forest in NB. We will use the Spruce Budworm Decision Support System
(SBW DSS) and a dynamic Computable General Equilibrium (CGE) model to estimate the economic
impacts, costs, and benefits of conducting an early intervention strategy on regional economies.
75
SPRUCE BUDWORM IS BACK. CAN WE INTERVENE EARLY TO
REDUCE OUTBREAKS?
David A. MacLean(1)
(1)Forestry and Environmental Management,
University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, NB, E3B 5A3 Canada
ABSTRACT
Evidence is mounting that eastern North America is on the cusp of another major spruce budworm
(Choristoneura fumiferana Clem.) outbreak, with defoliation in Québec increasing from 6.3 million ha
in 2015. Spruce budworm is the most damaging insect in North America, and detailed economic
analyses have indicated that potential losses of a moderate to severe outbreak in the eastern Canada/US
would be $41-59 billion. We are testing an early intervention strategy to suppress spruce budworm
population growth and prevent damage in a 4-year, $18 million research program that began in New
Brunswick in 2014. The project includes over 30 researchers and collaborators from Natural Resources
Canada, five universities, New Brunswick Department of Natural Resources, and forestry companies.
An early intervention strategy would involve intensive monitoring and early detection, small area target-
specific pesticide application, and tools and techniques to disrupt mating and migration. Trials in 2014,
2015, and 2016 in northern NB and Quebec demonstrated successful Mimic, Btk, and pheromone trials
population reduction in identified 'hot spots'. We are also conducting intensive budworm population
ecology and natural enemies research, testing inoculation of planted seedlings with endophytic fungi that
have insect suppressing qualities, use of satellite and airborne hyperspectral sensing of low-level
defoliation, radar detection of moth flights, and a decision support system for optimizing forest
protection operations. The research includes an active public communications program. Treatments to date
have been successful in reducing spruce budworm populations over 80,000 hectares, and continued intensive
monitoring is being used to plan programs for 2017. Although the research is continuing, three years of
results indicate that an early intervention strategy against spruce budworm may be feasible.
76
ANALYSIS OF THE FACTORS CONTROLLING FOREST
PRODUCTIVITY IN NORTHEASTERN U.S FOR IMPROVED
APPLICATION OF REMOTE SENSING
Conor Madison, Scott V. Ollinger
University of New Hampshire College of Life Sciences and Agriculture, Rudman Hall, 46 College Road,
Durham, New Hampshire 03824 USA [email protected]
ABSTRACT
Biomass production in forests is a key process in the global carbon cycle. Spatially, patterns of forest
growth vary as a function of climate, soils and species composition (e.g. Smith et al. 2002), however our
understanding is far from complete and can be complicated by trends that are poorly understood. Given
these uncertainties, studies designed to simultaneously examine factors controlling spatial patterns in
productivity will help lead to a greater understanding of the carbon cycle across broad terrestrial
ecosystems. An investigation of the main factors controlling productivity in different forests types will
also provide data for extrapolation using remote sensing and ecosystem models. The proposed research
is designed to address these knowledge gaps by measuring wood growth, photosynthetic rates, and foliar
chemistry (C13 and N15) of two well-studied northeastern U.S. research sites. Results will be used to
improve spatial estimates of forest growth using high spectral resolution remote sensing and a widely
used ecosystem model.
77
TESTING EXPERIMENTAL SILVICULTURAL TREATMENTS TO
MITIGATE FOLIAR PATHOGENS AFFECTING EASTERN WHITE
PINE IN THE NORTHEASTERN US AND CANADA
Cameron McIntire(1), Heidi Asbjornsen(1), Isabel Munck(2)
(1)University of New Hampshire Dept. of Natural Resources and the Environment, 114 James Hall 56
College Road, Durham, NH 03824, USA), [email protected]
(2)US Forest Service: State and Private Forestry ,USDA Forest Service - Northern Research Station, 271
Mast Road, Durham, NH 03824, USA, [email protected]
ABSTRACT
White Pine Needle Damage (WPND) is a
complex of foliar pathogens that have
established and become a chronic disease
impacting forests in the northeastern US and
Canada. Chronic annual summer defoliations
caused by WPND have garnered widespread
concern from regional foresters and
landowners. With the long term ecological
and economic impacts in mind, it is critical to
develop management recommendations for
moderating the effects of WPND on our white
pine dominated forests. A primary step in
recommending any sort of silvicultural
treatment to the public at large is to first test
and verify an appropriate prescription. The
work presented here will evaluate the
effectiveness of mechanical tree removal
(thinning) as a means to both enhance P.
strobus growth and mitigate disease severity
of WPND. During the summer of 2015 two replicated experimental blocks were established in
Hillsborough and West Ossipee, NH. In the subsequent winter of 2015-16 one-acre treatment plots
consisting of low density thinning (60 BA/ac), high density thinning (100 BA/ac) plots were cut. Growth
and forest health metrics of diameter at breast height, live crown ratio, crown diameter, crown light
exposure, crown transparency, crown die-back, and WPND severity will be monitored in the experimental
plots over the ensuing years. Inventory data from the pre-treatment year indicated a strong correlation
between WPND severity and decreased live crown ratios, crown diameter, as well as increased levels of
crown die-back and transparency. The results of this study will be used to inform regional forest
management in the context of WPND outbreaks.
KEY FINDINGS
Trees impacted by WPND
exhibit thin crowns and reduced
wood growth.
z-scores can be used to quantify
tree health .
Thinning treatments appear to
reduce pressure of WPND in the
first year.
78
Principle component analysis of the pre-treatment data shown in two dimensions. Most of the variation
is explained by component axis-1, and the discrete clustering of health classes is primarily occurring
along that axis; where healthier crowns are associated with enhanced DBH, LCR, crown diameter, and
light exposure. Conversely, high-severity individuals are associated with poor transparency, dieback,
and crown health. The calculated mean z-score using the 7 tree metrics shows the vector aligning with
the majority of the variation and crown health clustering of the dataset.
79
ASSESSING THE EFFICACY OF TWO SPECIES OF SILVER FLY,
LEUCOPIS ARGENTICOLLIS AND LEUCOPIS PINIPERDA, AS
BIOLOGICAL CONTROL AGENTS OF HEMLOCK WOOLLY
ADELGID, ADELGES TSUGAE, IN THE EASTERN US
Kyle Motley, Nathan Havill, Darrell Ross, Albert Mayfield and Kimberly Wallin
University of Vermont, 85 Carrigan Dr. Burlington, VT 05489 USA [email protected]
ABSTRACT
The hemlock woolly adelgid (Adelges tsugae, Annand; HWA) is a non-native, invasive insect
threatening the survival and sustainability of eastern and Carolina hemlocks (Tsuga canadensis and T.
caroliniana). HWA is established in over half of the total range of eastern hemlock and the entire range
of Carolina hemlock. Its continued spread and associated hemlock mortality make research into
biological control of HWA crucial. There are no known parasites of adelgids, therefore biological
control research has been focused on predators. Field surveys of predators associated with HWA in the
Pacific Northwest identified a strong correlation between HWA abundance with Laricobius nigrinus and
two species of silver fly, Leucopis argenticollis and Leucopis piniperda. Flies in the genus Leucopis are
known specialist predators of adelgids and recent studies have shown a strong synchronization between
the lifecycles of Leucopis spp. and HWA. Leucopis spp. are the most successful examples of past
biological control for other adelgid species worldwide. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the
establishment, life cycle and impact of Leucopis spp. on HWA in laboratory and field experiments in the
eastern United States to better quantify its potential as a biological control agent.
80
NORTHERN MIXEDWOOD SITE PRODUCTIVITY 50 YEARS
AFTER WHOLE-TREE AND STEM-ONLY HARVESTING, WITH
AND WITHOUT PRESCRIBED BURNING (1) Bethany Muñoz, (1) Laura S. Kenefic, (2)Aaron Weiskittel and (3)Ivan Fernandez
(1)U.S. Forest Service, Northern Research Station,
(2) University of Maine, School of Forest Resources,
[email protected] , [email protected] , [email protected]
ABSTRACT
This study reports the long-term (50-year) outcomes of biomass harvesting and slash disposal (site
preparation) treatments in northern conifer (mixedwood: softwood-hardwood) stands. Forest biomass
production and utilization have potential to both increase forest carbon stocks and reduce carbon dioxide
emissions from combustion of fossil fuels. Whole-tree harvesting (WTH) is commonly used to extract
forest biomass for energy and commercial wood products. However, removal of tree tops and branches
in WTH has led to concerns about long-term sustainability of production, particularly in conifer forests
on low fertility sites. In addition, effects of post-harvest prescribed burning on productivity of
intensively managed (clearcut) stands are poorly understood in northern mixedwood stands. To address
these research questions, we are using a U.S. Forest Service experiment, established in 1964 on the
Penobscot Experimental Forest in Maine, to evaluate the long-term effects of WTH, stem-only
harvesting (SOH) with and without prescribed burning (SOHB), and site quality on stand structure,
composition, and carbon stock 50 years after treatment. We found that neither treatment nor site
conditions had an effect on total live-tree density, mean dominant height, percent hardwood
composition, or coarse woody material carbon stock. However, basal area, total aboveground live-tree
carbon stock, and total aboveground carbon stock were found to be lowest on SOH treated areas with
high O horizon thickness. This suggests that neither WTH nor SOHB reduced northern mixedwood site
productivity 50 years after harvest, as reflected by stand structure or composition. Analysis of soil and
foliar nutrition (ongoing) will further inform productivity outcomes.
81
RAPID LANDSCAPE MONITORING USING DRONES
Jarlath O'Neil-Dunne
University of Vermont, Spatial Analysis Lab, 85 Carrigan Dr. Burlington, VT 05489 USA
ABSTRACT
Drones provide an unmatched capability to capture high-temporal, high-spatial resolution imagery of
our changing landscape. This presentation will dive into drone technology and show how it is being used
to map forested ecosystems.
UVM's Spatial Analysis Laboratory deployed a drone to assist first responders in
assessing the Amtrak derailment in Northfield on Oct. 5, 2015.
82
CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION IN ACTION: LESSONS FROM
NORTHERN FOREST ADAPTATION DEMONSTRATION PROJECTS
Todd A Ontl(1), Leslie Brandt(2), Patria Butler(3), Stephen Handler(4),
Maria Janowiak(5), Chris Swanston(6) (1) USDA Northern Forests Climate Hub & Northern Institute of Applied Climate Science, USDA Forest
Service, 410 MacInnes Dr., Houghton, MI 49931, USA, [email protected] (2)
Northern Institute of Applied Climate Science, USDA Forest Service, 1992 Folwell Ave., St. Paul, MN
1491 55108, USA, [email protected] (3) Northern Institute of Applied Climate Science, School of Forest Resources and Environmental
Science, Michigan Technological University, 1400 Townsend Drive, Houghton, MI 49931, USA,
[email protected] (4) Northern Institute of Applied Climate Science, USDA Forest Service, 410 MacInnes Dr., Houghton,
MI 49931, USA, [email protected] (5)
Northern Institute of Applied Climate Science, USDA Forest Service, 410 MacInnes Dr., Houghton,
MI 49931, USA, [email protected]
(6) USDA Northern Forests Climate Hub & Northern Institute of Applied Climate Science, USDA Forest
Service, 410 MacInnes Dr., Houghton MI 49931, USA, [email protected]
ABSTRACT
The Northern Institute of Applied
Climate Science has built a successful
approach that helps land managers
pursue climate change adaptation
(www.forestadaptation.org). A flexible
but rigorous Adaptation Workbook
helps translate general climate change
expectations to specific risks and
opportunities at the scale of
management decisions. The
Adaptation Workbook is used in
conjunction with applicable
information on climate change
impacts, including NIACS ecosystem
vulnerability assessments co-created
with diverse groups of managers and
researchers. A "menu" of adaptation
strategies and approaches helps users
generate concrete adaptation actions.
More than 185 real-world case studies
across the Midwest and Northeast US
illustrate how land managers have
used the Adaptation Workbook. These
KEY FINDINGS
Concern of climate impacts and
adaptation actions differed
between ownership types and
regional locations.
Impacts from forest pests and
diseases and soil moisture stress
were of greatest concern.
Managers are employing a
diversity of adaptation approaches,
utilizing actions to resist impacts,
enhance forest resilience, and
transition towards systems better
adapted to future conditions.
83
examples cover a wide range of scales, ecosystem types, and ownerships, and show how land managers
can prepare for climate change while still meeting land management and conservation goals.
This summary provides an overview of the resources that have been developed through the Framework,
including the Adaptation Workbook, and describe adaptation efforts that are underway. Drawing upon
lessons learned from the existing network of demonstration projects, we discuss opportunities common
across many projects and highlight regional characteristics of adaptation projects that are well-poised to
increase the ability to adapt to future conditions
APPROACH:
Planning documents developed using the Adaptation Workbook framework were reviewed from 44 on-
the-ground natural resource management projects within the Laurentian Mixed Forest (LMF) and
Central Interior Broadleaf Forest (CIBF) ecoregional provinces. Quantitative content analysis was used
to identify 1) climate change impacts of concern, and 2) the suite of adaptation actions selected to reduce
Over 185 forest adaptation demonstration projects have been developed with partners across
numerous land ownership types throughout the Midwest and northeastern U.S.
84
vulnerability to those impacts. Multivariate analyses (non-metric multidimensional scaling,
PERMANOVA) tested the influence of ownership type and ecoregion on climate impacts and adaptation
actions. Comparisons were made between federally-managed lands in the LMF and CIBF to provide
insights into regional differences in adaptation among these regions. Additionally, projects on federal-
and privately-owned lands within the LMF ecoregion were compared to look for the differences among
ownership types. Lastly, preliminary review of adaptation projects located within ecoregions of
northeastern U.S. (e.g., Northeastern Mixed Forest and Eastern Broadleaf Forest provinces) was
conducted to provide examples of climate impacts and adaptation responses for the northeastern U.S.
forests.
KEY FINDINGS:
Multivariate analyses of the 44 projects representing seven ownership types among the two
ecoregional provinces showed both ownership type and region influenced adaptation plans.
The climate impact of greatest concern was insect pests and fungal pathogens, followed closely by
soil moisture stress. Other impacts of high concern included altered precipitation (e.g., changing
seasonality of precipitation, and extreme precipitation), increased temperatures (e.g., seasonal
increases in temperature, longer growing seasons), and reduced snowpack/ frozen ground
impacting winter harvests.
Regional differences in impact concerns was greatest for altered precipitation, which was higher
in the CIBF region (37%) compared to the LMF (16%).
Within the LMF, ownership differences were apparent for concerns over soil moisture stress,
which was lower for private ownership (4%) compared to federal ownership (17%).
Analysis of adaptation actions showed managers are applying a diversity of approaches to reduce
impact vulnerabilities. Actions included increasing resistance, enhancing resilience, and
transitioning forests.
Actions intended to transition forests were highest within the CIBF ecoregion (45%) compared to
LMF (28%). Transition actions in CIBF focused largely on restoring species composition and
structure by selecting once dominant drought-tolerant species and opening up canopies. Transition
actions in LMF focused on encouraging heat- and drought-tolerant tree species typically found to
the south.
CASE STUDIES:
Shorter winter seasons with reduced snowfall are impacting the ability to conduct winter harvests.
The Atlas Timberlands project conducted by the Vermont Land Trust/ The Nature Conservancy is
addressing this by changing the site’s road and drainage infrastructure to allow summer harvest
activities.
85
Increased extreme rainfall events, warmer temperatures, and insect pests are impacting the
integrity of fish habitat within streams in New England. Trout Unlimited is addressing these
impacts in the North River watershed on the Massachusetts/ Vermont border through replacing
undersized culverts and installing in-stream wood additions to improve habitat, while
implementing forest management practices that reduce the effects of the hemlock woolly adelgid
on riparian vegetation.
Higher summer temperatures combined with more variable precipitation results in increased
occurrence of soil moisture stress, leading to greater tree stress. Providence Water is addressing
these impacts at the Scituate Reservoir by selecting for drought-tolerant species during harvests,
while also planting species expected to be batter adapted to higher temperatures and more frequent
periods of prolonged moisture stress.
86
ASSESSING SPATIAL PATTERNS OF THE EFFECTS OF NITROGEN
DEPOSITION ON FORESTS USING A GIS MANAGEMENT TOOL
FOR CRITICAL LOADS AND EXCEEDANCE
Linda H. Pardo(1), Molly Robin-Abbott, Claire B. O'Dea, Jennifer Pontius, Jason A. Coombs
(1)Corresponding author: USDA Forest Service, Northern Research Station, 85 Carrigan Dr.
Burlington, VT USA [email protected]
ABSTRACT
Maintaining commercially important tree species, as well as species valued for ecological, social, and
cultural reasons, is becoming increasingly challenging in the northeastern U.S. due to the significant
threats impacting ecosystem health and sustainability over the long term, in particular climate change
and nitrogen (N) deposition. We developed a GIS-based tool, Nitrogen Critical Loads Assessment by
Site (N-CLAS), to evaluate the impact of multiple stressors (N deposition and climate change)
simultaneously for species of management concern on public and private forest lands. In addition to
calculating species-specific critical loads, N-CLAS is designed to take into account the impact of site
abiotic factors on the response of trees to N deposition. The abiotic modifying factors include,
precipitation, temperature (e.g., January T, July T, May-September T), and soil characteristics.
Application of N-CLAS across the northeastern U.S. allows us to evaluate which areas and tree species
are most susceptible to impacts from N deposition. We can determine the critical load and exceedance
for individual tree species or all the species present. We have incorporated climate change scenarios in
order to explore the interaction between climate change and nitrogen deposition. Thus, we are also able
to determine the fraction of the region that is susceptible to detrimental impacts of N deposition under
projected climate scenarios. Use of this tool provides resource managers with a simple way to
incorporate the current state-of-the-science knowledge into their planning and management decisions.
87
THE COMPLEX RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CLIMATE AND
SUGAR MAPLE HEALTH: CLIMATE CHANGE IMPLICATIONS
FOR A KEY NORTHERN HARDWOOD SPECIES
Jennifer Pontius(1,2), Evan Oswald(3), Lesley-Ann Dupigney-Giroux(3), Sandy Wilmot(4) ,
Shelly Rayback(3), Paul Schaberg(2)
(1)UVM Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources,
85 Carrigan Dr. Burlington, VT 05405 USA
[email protected] (2)USFS Northern Research Station, (3)UVM Department of Geography, (4)VT Forests Parks and Recreation
ABSTRACT
Sugar maple’s important ecological and
economic role in northeastern forests
has made it one of the best studied
species in eastern North America, but
many questions remain about the
potential drivers of recent sugar maple
decline. In order to better understand
which climate characteristics influence
sugar maple vigor, we compared annual
sugar maple crown condition metrics
from 25 years of long-term monitoring
at 30 North American Maple Project
plots (including assessment of canopy
dieback, transparency and the percent
of trees with high dieback and
transparency normalized to one Forest
Stress Index (FSI)) to a suite of
ecologically relevant climate metrics
calculated using downscaled climate
data. These relationships were then
used to examine spatial and temporal
variability in historical climate-induced
decline, and use high resolution climate
projections to better understand
potential impacts of ongoing climate
change on sugar maple health.
KEY FINDINGS
Changes in climatic conditions have
been detrimental to sugar maple health
over the past 25 years.
Under a low emissions scenario, sugar
maple will be in moderate to severe
decline 35% of the time by 2050. This
increases to 50% under a high
emissions scenario.
Models indicate that climate conditions
for sugar maple will deteriorate across
the state, but that climate refugia will
also exist.
Management efforts should be targeted
where sugar maple is most likely to
tolerate changing climate and secondary
stress agents can be minimized.
88
Yearly FSI values were modeled against climate and disturbance metrics in an iterative partition
regression model to isolate the impact of climate variables on sugar maple condition. Five climate
metrics were identified that were significantly related to sugar maple decline. While three of these were
the monthly based metrics commonly used in climate analyses (minimum April, August and October
temperatures), two were novel metrics designed to capture extreme climate events (periods of unusual
warmth in January and August). These five key climate metrics accounted for ~19% of the variability in
historical sugar maple condition. Adding disturbance accounts for another 11%, indicating that climate
conditions, though rarely included in sugar maple decline studies, may be of equal importance as more
traditionally studied stress agents.
Modeled across the state, results indicate that ongoing changes in climatic conditions have been
detrimental to sugar maple health over the study period, and are likely to degrade further over time
based on climate projections. However, geographic variability in projected climate-driven decline
indicates that, while conditions for sugar maple will deteriorate across the state, climate refugia should
also be available to maintain sugar maple in spite of changing climatic conditions.
Considering the predominant role of sugar maple in the northeastern economy and culture, managing
this resource into the future as climate changes is of great concern and could pose a considerable
challenge. It will become increasingly difficult to manage sugar maple on marginal sites. Instead
management efforts should be targeted where sugar maple is most likely to tolerate changing climate
and secondary stress agents can be minimized. Adaptive management strategies should be taken to
prepare for the loss of sugar maple in high risk locations.
Modelled across the state, results indicate that ongoing changes in climatic conditions have
been detrimental to sugar maple health over the study period (left), and are likely to
degrade further over time based on climate projections (right).
89
LANDSCAPE SCALE ASSESSMENTS OF FOREST PRODUCTIVITY:
METHODS, PATTERNS AND TRENDS
Jennifer Pontius(1)(2), Shelly A. Rayback(3), Emma Tait(3), Jesse Little(1), John Kilbride(3)
(1)UVM Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources,
85 Carrigan Dr. Burlington, VT 05405 USA
[email protected] (2)USFS Northern Research Station (3)UVM Department of Geography
ABSTRACT
Remote sensing can provide a relatively
low-cost approach to large scale
assessment of forest productivity to enable
investigations into spatial and temporal
trends in forest growth. Much of the
existing research has focused on
homogeneous, single species forests, with
limited remote sensing inputs for model
calibration or field data to assess accuracy
of productivity predictions.
Here we present results of a basal area
increment (BAI) productivity model based
on remote sensing data products as well as
ancillary spatial data layers to capture site,
stand, and relative habitat suitability.
Calibration and validation based on
dendrochronologies from 132 plots
located across Vermont and New
Hampshire, indicate that modeling forest
productivity across a heterogeneous
landscape is difficult based on the
complexity of spectral characteristics in
mixed stands, variability across the
landscape and diversity of factors
influencing tree growth on a micro-scale.
However, species specific models can be built and applied across these landscapes with sufficient
accuracy to inform spatial and temporal patterns in forest productivity. Initial application of these
KEY FINDINGS
Forest productivity can be
accurately mapped using remote
sensing products if calibrated by
species.
Remotely sensed assessments of
productivity shows distinct spatial
patterns across the landscape
primarily driven by species
composition.
Some species show increasing
growth trends (American beech
and red spruce) and some with
decreasing growth trends (balsam
fir and sugar maple) dominance of
red maple across the region.
90
landscape productivity models between 2000 and 2012 inform how productivity is changing over time
and how this differs across species and locations.
Model of 2012 productivity using the six species with sufficient calibration coverage. Individual species
models were averaged to illustrate overall productivity in a given location based on Landfire species
distribution maps.
91
MODELING HEMLOCK WOOLLY ADELGID RISK AND
IMPACTS OF PRESALVAGE HARVESTING ON CARBON
STOCKS IN NORTHERN HEMLOCK FORESTS
Jennifer Pontius (1,2), Paul Schaberg (2) , William Livingston (3),
Kara Lorion(3), Stacy Trosper(3)
(1)UVM Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources,
85 Carrigan Dr. Burlington, VT 05405 USA
[email protected] (2)USFS Northern Research Station
(3) University of Maine, Forestry Program
ABSTRACT
Two recent studies provide
useful information on the
management of northern
hemlock stands in light of
encroaching hemlock woolly
adelgid (HWA) infestations.
Mapping Hemlock
Vulnerability to Hemlock
Woolly Adelgid Induced
Decline
The purpose of this modeling
project is to identify locations
across the northeast where
hemlock is likely to tolerate
HWA infestation under
changing climate conditions.
Dendrochronological methods
provide a more nuanced
assessment of HWA impacts
on hemlock allowing us to
quantitatively identify the
onset of infestation and
examine the variable rates of
growth decline that follow
incipient infestation. This
information is necessary to
KEY FINDINGS
Hemlock decline rates following HWA
infestation were linked to site characteristics
and climate.
Risk maps generated from these relationships
can be used to identify potentially resistant
sites.
Under projected climate conditions hemlock
will become vulnerable to more rapid decline
across the New England region.
Simulation models indicate that allowing
HWA to progress naturally through a stand
may have lower impacts on long-term net C
flux than conducting presalvage harvests.
HWA infestation and presalvage logging will
likely result in an increased dominance of red
maple across the region.
92
better understand the variable response of hemlock to HWA, and identify the characteristics of
stands with the highest potential for tolerance and recovery.
Historical changes in hemlock radial growth following HWA infestation and drought were linked to
site characteristics across the region. Sites with steeper slopes, increased exposure to solar radiation,
and warmer January minimum temperatures have a greater probability of experiencing hemlock
growth decline in the study region. The resulting model correctly classified 80% of the 41
calibration sites and 73% of the 15 independent validation sites across the region.
Applied to GIS layers we created spatially-explicit maps of the likelihood of rapid hemlock decline
if/when HWA arrives. Land managers can use these maps to help prioritize management strategies
for addressing sites where hemlock is likely to decline, as well as identifying locations where
hemlock is likely to maintain current growth trends. However, the projected increase in January
minimum temperatures will result in HWA-incited hemlock growth decline further north and inland
than was previously predicted.
Left: Historical climate risk map shows probable locations of declining sites using logit
coefficients applied to three parameters across the New England region: (1) slope, (2) summer
hillshade, and (3) 1971-2000 January minimum temperature. Right: Future climate risk map
shows probable locations of declining sites for the same model but based on a + 2°C increase over
1981-2010 January minimum temperature normal.
93
Modeling Long-term Hemlock Carbon Storage
Stand development simulations under various management scenarios allowed us to model the
potential impact of HWA infestation and management activities on carbon (C) dynamics in northern
hemlock stands. We used FVS and FIA data from across the northeast to model C storage and
successional pathways under presalvage harvesting, HWA infestation and no disturbance scenarios
over a 150-year simulation.
HWA infestation and presalvage logging will likely result in an increased dominance of red maple
across the region. Both presalvage and HWA scenarios had significantly lower total C storage than
the control at the end of the 150 year simulation. However, the cumulative net C gain was lower for
the presalvage than HWA scenario, indicating that allowing HWA to progress naturally through a
stand may have lower impacts on long-term net C flux than conducting presalvage harvests. While
differences were not significant on low hemlock density stands, impacts to the estimated 267,000
hectares of northern New York and New England where hemlock is dominant could result in
conversion to red maple and a net loss of over 4 million metric tons of C over the next 150 years.
While these results suggest that C continues to accrue in northern hemlock forests following HWA
infestation, long-term there is still a decrease in cumulative net C storage that is likely to result from
HWA infestation and associated presalvage harvests, with a potential legacy that persists at least 150
years post disturbance. Considering the low market value of hemlock and the potential for
incorporating C markets into revenue streams, allowing HWA-induced mortality to proceed without
presalvage logging could become more appealing to land managers as HWA progresses northward.
These studies, along with knowledge of current HWA infestation borders, can be used to direct
management efforts, with the intention of minimizing HWA-induced hemlock mortality and
maintaining the regions carbon stocks.
94
Simulated changes in percent basal area provide an approximation of how species
composition may change following HWA (top) and presalvage (bottom) treatments in
northern New York and New England hemlock stands.
95
IRREGULAR SHELTERWOOD AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO
CLEARCUTTING IN BALSAM FIR-YELLOW BIRCH STANDS
Patricia Raymond, Steve Bédard, Stéphane Tremblay, and Catherine Larouche
Ministère des Forêts, de la Faune et des Parcs, Direction de la recherche forestière, 2700 Rue
Einstein, Québec, G1P 3W8, Québec, Canada
[email protected], [email protected] ,
[email protected] , [email protected]
ABSTRACT Even-aged systems have been used for
decades in North America for managing
conifer-dominated stands with the goal to
normalize the forest and reach sustainable
wood production. Because of their simplicity
of application and the short-term economic
benefits, conifer-dominated stands of the
boreal and mixedwood forests have been
largely managed under even-aged systems.
However, the widespread use of clearcutting
and its variants have altered many features of
these forests at both landscape and stand
scales.
Set in 2009, the experiment compare the
effects of irregular shelterwood scenarios to
careful logging and uncut control stands on the
regeneration of balsam fir (Abies balsamea
[L.] Mill.) – yellow birch (Betula
alleghaniensis Britton) irregular stands.
Scenarios include an uncut control, 25%
continuous cover irregular shelterwood (no
final cut), 40% extended irregular shelterwood
(final cut at year 30), 50% regular shelterwood
(final cut at year 10), and careful logging
(clearcut with protection of trees ≤ 9.1 cm dbh).
After five years, the 25% continuous cover irregular shelterwood was the most favourable cutting
treatment to establish red spruce (Picea rubens Sarg.) and balsam fir seedlings (<30 cm). All cutting
treatments increased significantly yellow birch seedling density >30 cm. Cutting treatments also
KEY FINDINGS
Irregular shelterwood scenarios
have potential to regenerate
conifer-dominated mixedwood
stands as an alternative to
clearcutting.
Light shelterwood scenarios
successfully established red
spruce, balsam fir and yellow
birch, while limiting red maple
and pin cherry competition.
However, longer-term
observations are needed to
identify the best scenarios.
96
influenced the response of competing vegetation that expanded the most in clearcut cutovers. The
lightest 25% shelterwood cut kept the competing species coverage at a level closer to the control and
significantly lower than in the clearcut. Up to now, early establishment results indicate that irregular
shelterwood scenarios could be helpful to regenerate conifer-dominated mixedwood stands and have
potential as an alternative to clearcutting.
Our first five-years results show that the 25% continuous cover irregular shelterwood
was the most successful treatment for establishing the three desired species (red spruce,
balsam fir and yellow birch), while limiting the expansion of the competition in the
understory.
97
MAINTAINING LOGGER VIABILITY IN THE NORTHEAST
Jamie L. Regula and Rene H. Germain
SUNY ESF, 1 Forestry Dr, Syracuse, NY 13210 USA [email protected]
ABSTRACT
The economic sustainability of logging businesses is critical to successful forest management and a
sustained flow of roundwood to primary wood manufacturers. In recent decades, expectations on loggers
have increased because of the expansion of harvesting regulations, including best management practices
(BMPs), and the adoption of forest and logger certification programs. Unfortunately, these rising
expectations can result in increasing logging costs. Productivity can fluctuate from job to job, depending
on some critical factors associated with the harvest, including harvest volume per acre, species, stem
size (or average logs per stem), area of sale, average skidding distance, topography, access system, and
amount of noncommercial timber stand improvement. The variability of harvesting conditions and
associated lack of predictability is particularly acute in hardwood and mixed-wood forest cover types of
the Northeast. This study seeks to examine those factors that influence logger profitability from job to
job. Working in partnership with sawmill procurement foresters, we interviewed 20 loggers to determine
equipment spread, operating and ownership costs, special characteristics of the harvest they recently
completed and views on current logging equipment availability. Following the interview, we GPS'd the
landing(s) and skid roads, assessing slope, skidding distance, as well as identified BMPs that were
implemented. Results will report: 1) individual harvest characteristics influencing logger profitability, 2)
determine optimal productivity and price ranges that ensure logger profitability, 3) explore the
compatibility of today's logging equipment with declining woodlot sizes and harvest volumes.
98
COMPARISON OF CRITICAL LOADS OF NITROGEN FOR FOREST
SPECIES AND COMMUNITIES IN CLASS I AREAS OF THE
NORTHEASTERN UNITED STATES
Molly Robin-Abbott(1), Linda H. Pardo(1), Jennifer Pontius(1,2), Jason Coombs(1)
1) USDA Forest Service, Northern Research Station, 85 Carrigan Dr. Burlington, VT 05405 USA
[email protected] , [email protected] , [email protected]
2) University of Vermont 85 Carrigan Dr. Burlington, VT 05405 USA [email protected]
ABSTRACT
We have developed a GIS tool (N-CLAS) that allows federal land managers, policy makers, and others
to calculate site-based critical loads of nitrogen (N) and exceedance for forested areas in the northeastern
United States. N-CLAS is based on species-specific tables that set optimal growth thresholds for
multiple soil, site, and climate parameters. The species on a site determine the initial critical load range;
site conditions determine whether the critical load is adjusted to the upper part of the critical loads range
or the lower part of critical loads range. Critical loads can be calculated for a single species at a site,
multiple species, or for the community. The most sensitive species will determine the critical load in the
community calculation. Changing site conditions, including climate change, harvesting, insect pests,
fungal pathogens, and extreme weather events, will affect site growth conditions, N-cycling, and critical
loads. In this poster we use maps and tables generated by N-CLAS to examine the effects of climate
change scenarios on adjusted critical loads of N and exceedance for selected species in Class I areas of
the Northeastern United States.
99
LONG-TERM REGENERATION DYNAMICS IN NORTHERN
HARDWOOD FORESTS OF THE NORTHEAST
Nicole Rogers(1), Anthony W. D'Amato(1), Ralph Nyland(2), Laura S. Kenefic(3) and Mark Twery(3)
(1) University of Vermont, Rubenstein School of the Environment and Natural Resources, 85
Carrigan Dr. Burlington, VT 05405 USA [email protected]
(2) SUNY-ESF, Forest and Resources Management
(3) USDA Forest Service, Northern Research Station
ABSTRACT
Establishment of regeneration of desired species and at an adequate stocking is essential to sustainable
management of northern hardwood forests in the northeast United States. However, success of natural
regeneration can vary depending on site and climatic drivers, and be further complicated by type of
regeneration method used. In the Adirondack region of New York, long-term silvicultural studies (>20
years) offer a unique opportunity to explore the dynamics of hardwood regeneration under both even
and uneven-aged systems across a range of site and forest conditions. We'll review changes in stocking,
density, recruitment and species composition over time and additionally frame findings within the
context of current silvicultural practices for northern hardwood forests and the pervasive impacts of
beech bark disease on long-term regeneration dynamics. Implications for sustainable management and
resiliency of these forests into the future will also be discussed.
100
INFLUENCE OF LOGGING DISTURBANCE ON TREE GROWTH,
SPECIES COMPOSITION, AND RESIDUAL STAND DAMAGE
FOLLOWING HARVESTING IN TWO MAINE SPRUCE-FIR STANDS
Roth, B.E.(1), Lachance, C(2), Wagner, R.G.(3), and Benjamin, J.G.(4)
(1) Cooperative Forestry Research Unit, 5755 Nutting Hall, University of Maine, Orono, ME 04469
USA. [email protected] (2)Weyerhaeuser, 19 Loggers Circle, Bingham, ME 04920 USA. [email protected]
(3) Department of Forestry & Natural Resources
Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907 USA. [email protected] (4)
Bangor Christian Schools, 1476 Broadway, Bangor, ME 04401 USA.
ABSTRACT
Soil Disturbance – Weymouth Point Study:
Mechanized harvesting can lead to a wide
range of soil disturbances (including mineral
soil exposure, soil compaction, organic matter
removal, mounding, and rutting) that can
influence subsequent forest composition,
structure, or growth. Earlier research has had
mixed conclusions regarding the effect of soil
disturbance on future forest productivity. We
used a long-term experiment in northern
Maine to quantify forest productivity for 32
years since clearcut harvesting using a whole-
tree harvest system (WT). Soil disturbance
measurements were made on 100 transects
that were installed immediately after the site
was harvested in 1981. We found no influence
of soil disturbance on tree- and stand-level
variables, including basal area, density,
percent hardwood, volume, DBH, and height.
We also examined annual radial growth rates
using tree cores from a subset of balsam fir
crop trees (>6.35 cm DBH) that had grown on
the most and least disturbed soil conditions,
and found no differences in growth rates over
the entire growth period. Despite extensive
KEY FINDINGS
Despite extensive rutting at the
time of harvesting 32 years
earlier, we were unable to detect
a reduction in crop tree
production or species
composition.
Pre-commercial thinning is an
important factor in limiting stem
damage during future
commercial thinning operations.
Trees closer to harvest trails had
a higher probability of stem and
root damage, along with a
higher probability of high or
medium severity wounds.
101
soil rutting and mineral soil exposure after WT harvesting, we were unable to detect any differences in
subsequent forest composition, structure, or growth from soil disturbance at the Weymouth Point study
site 32 years after the harvest.
Residual Stem Damage – Austin Pond Study:
Commercial thinning (CT) and precommercial thinning (PCT) are common silvicultural treatments in
the management of spruce-fir stands of the Northeast. The positive effects of CT and PCT on tree
growth and financial gain are well documented, but there have been few studies of residual stand
damage following these treatments. We used a long-term silvicultural experiment in west-central Maine
to quantify stem, root, and crown damage following CT at 33, 50, and 66% levels of relative density
reduction in stands that had previously received precommercial thinning (PCT) or no PCT. We found
that prior PCT with CTL harvesting was the most important factor predicting the level of residual stand
damage after CT. Higher initial densities associated with no-PCT and WT harvesting increased the
probability of machine-to-tree or tree-to-tree contact that resulted 86% more residual stem damage. We
found that higher CT removal levels (>33%) resulted in higher rates of stem and root damage. We also
found that trees closer to harvest trails had a higher probability of stem and root damage, along with the
higher probability of high or medium severity wounds.
Average annual basal area increment per tree (cm2 yr-1) by soil disturbance type (High n =
40, Low n = 32) from 1992 to 2013. A linear regression model found no significant difference
between BAI of trees on high soil disturbance or low soil disturbance (p = 0.18).
102
VERMONT’S MANAGED FORESTS AND SOIL CARBON STOCKS:
INTERACTION AMONG LAND-USE HISTORY, EARTHWORMS
AND SITE
Don Ross
University of Vermont, Department of Plant and Soil Science, Burlington, VT [email protected]
ABSTRACT
Much of present-day Vermont’s forests were cleared for agriculture in the 1700s and 1800s, with
associated long-term loss of soil carbon. Net gains in carbon have occurred since reforestation but
these gains may be affected by earthworm invasions. We have been monitoring 18 managed forest
stands to be able to determine long-term changes in carbon stores. In addition to measuring carbon,
we have documented land-use history dating back to colonial times, determined earthworm species
and density, measured tree species and site metrics, and measured a suite of soil chemical
parameters. We also determined carbon distribution in soil microaggregates in a subset of sites.
Prior land-use in the 18 monitored plots included cultivation, pasture, and farm woodlot. Higher
earthworm species diversity correlated with reduced forest floor depth, higher mineral soil carbon,
and greater stability (microaggregate-protected) of that carbon. Sites with the highest worm density
had a history of more intense agricultural land use (although not all former agricultural sites had
earthworms). There were also positive interactions between exchangeable calcium pools and
earthworm density, and between elevation and carbon in the forest floor. Present-day carbon stores
appear to be a complex interaction of land-use history, site location, earthworm history and soil
chemistry.
103
CAN GAP-BASED MANAGEMENT PROMOTE NATURAL
REGENERATION AND DIVERSITY IN MIXEDWOOD STANDS?
Alejandro A. Royo(1), and Patricia Raymond(2)
(1)Northern Research Station, Forestry Sciences Laboratory, 335 National Forge Road P.O. Box 267,
Irvine, PA, USA, 16329, [email protected] (2)Ministère des Forêts, de la Faune et des Parcs, Direction de la recherche forestière, 2700 Rue
Einstein, Québec, G1P 3W8, Québec, Canada, [email protected]
ABSTRACT
In Quebec (Canada), the yellow birch (Betula
alleghaniensis Britton) – conifer forest type is
the most widespread and economically
important in the temperate mixedwood zone.
Management goals include sustained wood
production, particularly of yellow birch, red
spruce (Picea rubens Sarg.) and balsam fir
(Abies balsamea [L.] Mill.) while maintaining
overall species diversity, composition and
structural heterogeneity. Given the historical
importance of naturally occurring canopy
gaps in these systems, gap-based silvicultural
systems potentially offer a tool to achieve
these goals.
Beginning in 2008, we experimentally
evaluated the impact of a hybrid single- and
small group selection system on regeneration
dynamics and plant diversity. Our experiment
employs a harvest intensity gradient (Residual
BA) consisting of uncut control (26 m²/ha),
light (19 m²/ha), moderate (17 m²/ha) and
heavy (15 m²/ha) cutting with repeated
vegetation censuses at 1, 3, 5 and 8 years
post-cut.
Greater harvest intensities enhanced overall plant cover across the 8-yr period (significant
Treatment×Year interaction). Heavier harvest intensities increased diversity. Species richness increased
irrespective of harvest intensity. Observed richness and diversity gains were driven by augmented
yellow birch, mountain maple (Acer spicatum Lam.) and pin cherry (Prunus pensylvanica L. f.)
KEY FINDINGS
Gap-based silviculture can favor
yellow birch recruitment without
impacting plant diversity.
However, increasing harvest
intensity also enhanced
interfering non-commercial
species abundance and failed to
improve red spruce regeneration.
Further study will be necessary
to evaluate thresholds to achieve
both regeneration and diversity
goals.
104
recruitment into larger classes as well as greater forb, tree and shrub cover over time in response to
greater harvest intensities. In contrast, harvesting did not affect forb, shrub and fern richness.
Our 8-yr results show gap-based treatments can favour yellow birch recruitment without negatively
impacting plant diversity in this forest type. Indeed, heavier harvest intensities augmented overall plant
diversity and tree richness. Nevertheless, because increasing harvest intensity simultaneously enhanced
interfering non-commercial tree species abundance (e.g. mountain maple) and failed to improve red
spruce regeneration, we caution that further study will be necessary to evaluate if and at which
thresholds both regeneration and diversity goals can be achieved.
Our 8-yr results show that the hybrid single- and small group selection system, a gap-based
approach, could be used to achieve both regeneration and diversity goals in yellow birch-
conifer stands.
105
THE LONG-TERM EFFECTS OF LOGGING, HURRICANE
DISTURBANCE, AND SALVAGE LOGGING ON OLD-GROWTH
FOREST STANDS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE
Emma M. Sass(1), Anthony W. D’Amato(1)
(1)University of Vermont, Aiken Center, Burlington, Vermont, USA 05401
[email protected] , [email protected]
ABSTRACT
Salvage logging is a common post-
disturbance management practice; short-term
effects are well documented but longer-term
effects remain less well known. In Pisgah
State Park, NH, we compared the structure
and composition of old-growth stands from
1930 to those developing following 1)
logging in the 1920s (LG), 2) severe damage
from the 1938 hurricane (HR), and 3) severe
damage from the hurricane and subsequent
salvage logging (SL). The HR plot
represented a unique case study that served
as a benchmark of long-term forest response
to hurricane disturbance.
The HR plot had the highest density of trees (1520 stems/ha) compared to salvaged (342±98) or logged
areas (818±40) 78 years following disturbance. The fewer but larger trees in salvaged and logged sites imply a more mature live tree structure than the HR plot. Coarse woody debris (CWD) biomass
was highest in the HR plot (12.0 Mg/ha). HR also had the greatest density of pit and mound structures
(115/ha), followed by salvaged (73/ha) and logged areas (11/ha). This study builds on our understanding
of salvage logging effects and provides an extended temporal view on compositional and structural
differences that persist after singular and compound disturbances.
KEY FINDINGS
Live tree structure is the least
developed in the hurricane-
damaged stand.
CWD is highest in unsalvaged,
unlogged areas.
Composition has not returned to
pre-disturbance.
Diameter distributions for three
management histories at Pisgah
State Park, NH. HR= damaged
by the 1938 hurricane;
SL=hurricane damaged and
salvage logged: LG=logged prior
to the 1938 hurricane.
106
BUILDING A DENDROECOLOGY DATABASE FOR THE
NORTHERN FOREST
Paul Schaberg1, Shelly Rayback2, Christopher Hansen3, Paula Murakami1, James Duncan3, 4,
Alexandra Kosiba3, Benjamin Engel3, Rebecca Stern3, Gary Hawley3, Jennifer Pontius1, 3, 4
(1)US Forest Service, Northern Research Station, 81 Carrigan Dr., Burlington, VT 05405, USA,
[email protected], [email protected]
(2)University of Vermont, Department of Geography, 94 University Pl., Burlington, VT 05405, USA,
(3)University of Vermont, Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources, 81 Carrigan Dr.,
Burlington, VT 05405, USA, [email protected] , [email protected] , [email protected] [email protected]
[email protected] , [email protected]
(4)Vermont Monitoring Cooperative, 705 Spear St., South Burlington, VT 05403, USA
ABSTRACT
We are establishing a dendroecology database that
will combine tree-ring growth and ecological data
for a wide range of species and sites across the
region. Initial work involves comparing growth
among species and locations, assessing changing
trends in growth, and evaluating if ancillary site
and environmental factors are associated with
growth trends. Two examples of studies within the
Northern Forest were presented to highlight the
potential value of the database. The first involved
the use of red spruce tree-ring chronologies to
field-test a steady-state sulfur and nitrogen
pollution critical load exceedance model for the
region. Results indicated that critical load
exceedance was associated with reduced growth
over the past 60 years, but that trees are now
growing better than they have over the entire
chronology. The second used tree rings from five
species to assess which climate variables best
accounted for patterns of growth on Vermont’s
tallest mountain – Mount Mansfield.
KEY FINDINGS
Tree rings reflect the
influence of the environment
on growth.
Past work has shown how
pollution loading and
temperature alter growth.
New work will evaluate
growth and its drivers for
many species and locations.
107
Results indicate that increased growth was broadly associated with higher temperatures.
Mean (±SE) basal area increment (BAI) for 441 red spruce trees at 37 sites in Vermont and
New Hampshire that exceeded or did not exceed modelled sulfur and nitrogen pollution
critical loads. Trees in non-exceedance plots had higher growth for the 60-year period
overall and for decades with more severe or frequent foliar winter injury. Statistically
significant P-values (P ≤0.05) are in bold.
108
LOCAL ADAPTATION OF TREES AT THE RANGE MARGINS
SLOWS RANGE SHIFTS IN THE FACE OF CLIMATE CHANGE
Kevin Solarik
Université du Québec à Montréal, Department of Biological Science Montréal, Québec, Canada
ABSTRACT
The inability of certain species to track their climatic niche at rates comparable to climate change is
concerning, particularly if those species are constrained due to their adaptation at the local scale within
their current range. In long-lived, sessile organisms such as trees, genetic adaptation is slow, and our
knowledge of the relative contribution of the driving factors which control range expansion is lacking.
Here, we conducted a species wide seed transplant experiment to investigate a series of contributing
factors potentially constraining species range expansion in early tree seedling establishment phases. We
find a combination of provenance, climatic, and microsite factors all play a profound role in the ability
of a species to migrate northward in latitude, where the contribution of each of these factors changes
depending on the environment at the local scale. First, we found that seed provenance from the northern
portion of the range provides currently the best opportunity to establish beyond the current range, where
climatic conditions are more similar than those of the central or southern portions of the species range.
We found that although seedling establishment was highest within the species range, survival rates were
comparable to those at the range margin and beyond, regardless of where the seed originated. We find
that local climate was the most influential factor for establishment and survival within and at the species
range margin, however, microsite drove recruitment beyond the range boundary. Ultimately, recruitment
failure will occur if the climate changes at a rate superior to the adaptive capacity of the species to novel
climatic conditions.
109
ASSESSING LONG TERM IMPACTS OF INTERMEDIATE
TREATMENTS ON TIMBER QUALITY AND STAND ECOLOGY OF
NORTHERN HARDWOOD FORESTS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE
Meghan Thornton and Ted Howard
University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH 03825 USA [email protected]
ABSTRACT
The primary intermediate treatments used in northern hardwood forest management are pre-commercial
and commercial thinning. These methods can be used to improve forest stand quality or promote growth
of desired species. In northern hardwood forests, pre-commercial thinning involves killing or removing
competing trees from around selected crop trees. However, depending on landowner objectives,
intermediate treatments might not provide a financial or ecological return that justifies the harvesting
operation. The research area is an above-average hardwood site located in the Bartlett Experimental
Forest (BEF) in Bartlett, New Hampshire. A clear cut of the stand occurred in 1935, a crop tree release
using four treatments occurred in 1959 at age 25, and a dominant tree removal of paper birch and aspen
occurred in 2003 at age 69. Previous research includes data on stand growth, species composition, and
volume change spanning 80 years, as well as two financial analyses on the pre-commercial work. This
research proposes an assessment of standing timber quality within and among the treatments, as well as
an ecological assessment of coarse woody debris and snag recruitment. It also proposes a financial
analysis post-2003 commercial thinning that considers the market for sawlogs over the declining market
for boltwood.
110
EFFECTIVE LANDOWNER ENGAGEMENT -
FROM OUTREACH TO OUTCOMES
Mary Tyrrell, Purnima Chawla and Emma Kravet
Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies 195 Prospect Street, New Haven, CT 06511 USA
ABSTRACT
Two of the biggest challenges to improved stewardship and conservation on private lands are 1) getting
the attention of the landowners (outreach) and 2) getting them to take action (outcomes). Both require
focused, targeted effort to understand the landowners - their attitudes, values, needs and priorities - and
getting a good match between stewardship and conservation program objectives and the needs and
desires of the landowners. We will share learnings from the Sustaining Family Forests Initiative
research on family landowners and from working with natural resource professionals in over 300
organizations throughout the US to develop effective landowner engagement programs. Conservation
and stewardship actions often require a large and long-term commitment which landowners may view as
too difficult or risky. The most efficient and effective outreach programs target their efforts towards the
landowners who are most likely to engage in the desired behavior and (or) to those who have the
greatest impact on the program goals. A successful outreach program focuses on key motivations of the
target audience and addresses ways to overcome the most obvious barriers in order to persuade
landowners to take action. There are a range of data that can and should be used to understand
landowner motivations and barriers to action, including quantitative data (surveys) and qualitative data
(focus groups). By presenting several case studies, we will discuss how targeted marketing and
landowner data are being used in various outreach campaigns, and the evaluation process and measures
that organizations are using to track outcomes.
111
FOREST STRUCTURAL DEVELOPMENT AND CARBON
DYNAMICS AS INFLUENCED BY LAND-USE HISTORY AND
REFORESTATION APPROACH
Andrea Urbano
UVM Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources, 85 Carrigan Dr. Burlington, VT 05405
ABSTRACT
Temperate forests are an important carbon sink, yet uncertainty remains regarding land-use history
effects on biomass accumulation and carbon storage potential in secondary forests. Improving this
understanding is vital for managing forests as carbon sinks and is possible by studying long-term
northeastern U.S. forest recovery post nineteenth century agricultural abandonment. We employed a
longitudinal study based on 12 years of empirical data (2001-2013) collected from 60 monitoring plots
within 16 reference stands at Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park in Woodstock, VT
and 150 years of documentary data from park management records. We evaluated the effects of
reforestation approaches (planting vs. natural regeneration), management (long-term low harvest
intensities at varied frequencies), and stand development pathways on biomass outcomes. We generated
biometrics indicative of stand structural complexity (H' index) and aboveground biomass (live trees,
snags, and downed coarse woody debris pools) estimates. Multivariate analyses evaluated the predictive
strength of reforestation approach, management history, and site characteristics relative to aboveground
carbon pools and stand structural complexity.
Classification and Regression Tree (CART) analysis ranked reforestation method as the strongest
predictor of mean total aboveground carbon storage, and selected harvest frequency and stand age as
secondary variables. CART ranked percent conifer as the strongest predictor of H', and harvest intensity
and frequency as secondarily predictive. A variety of long-term recovery pathways converge on high
levels of aboveground carbon storage, but silvicultural management can dramatically alter those
trajectories. Our dataset showed a positive relationship between forest carbon storage and structural
complexity (r2=0.25), supporting multifunctional forestry emphasizing late-successional habitats.
112
CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION BY VERMONT
SNOWMOBILERS
William Valliere, Robert Manning, Elizabeth Perry, Xiao Xiao, Nathan Reigner
University of Vermont, Parks Studies La, 85 Carrigan Dr. Burlington, VT 05405 USA
ABSTRACT
Ecosystems provide a many services to society, including outdoor recreation. Snowmobiling is an
important form of winter recreation, and a vital part of Vermont's winter tourism economy. Climate
change may substantially alter use of Vermont's extensive system of snowmobile trails. In order to
continue to serve the needs of snowmobilers, management of the trail system must adapt to a changing
climate and evolving patterns of use. To help inform adaptive management and as part of a larger
decision support tool, a survey of members of the Vermont Association of Snow Travelers (VAST) was
conducted. The survey asked respondents to report the ways in which they would adapt their use of the
snowmobile trail network to multiple manifestations of climate change, including temperature, snowfall,
distance to trails, landscape types, presence or absence of wildlife, trail encounters, and extent of the
available trail network. The goal of the survey was to determine under what conditions use of the
snowmobile trail system in Vermont increases and decreases. Baseline information about current use
levels and types of use, changes in the trail system and weather over the years was also collected. The
online survey was administered to a sample of VAST members for whom the association maintains
email records. An email invitation and a reminder email resulted in 1447 completed questionnaires.
Study data offer insights into how winter outdoor recreation activities and patterns are likely to evolve in
association with a changing climate and how Vermont might best adapt to meet changing demand.
113
GROWTH RATES OF MAPLE TREES TAPPED WITH HIGH-YIELD
SAP COLLECTION PRACTICES – ARE EXISTING TAPPING
GUIDELINES SUSTAINABLE?
Abby van den Berg(1), Timothy Perkins(1), Mark Isselhardt(1), Timothy Wilmot(1)
(1) University of Vermont Proctor Maple Research Center, P.O. Box 233 Underhill Center, VT
05490, [email protected], [email protected] , [email protected] ,
ABSTRACT
Maple syrup production is a traditional
practice throughout the northeastern United
States and Canada that generates jobs,
provides income, and helps maintain the
traditional working landscape of the region.
The profitability and long-term economic
sustainability of maple syrup production
depend entirely on the sustainability of annual
sap extraction from trees. To be sustainable,
annual sap collection must not remove or
damage more wood than can be replaced by
annual growth, or extract a portion of
carbohydrate resources large enough to reduce
growth rates and hinder the replenishment of
conductive wood. Maple producers follow
tapping guidelines, a set of best practices for
sap collection, to ensure their practices meet
these requirements. Now, however, modern
sap collection equipment and practices
facilitate at least twice the volume of sap
extraction per tree than was possible with the
technology used when the existing guidelines
were developed.
To assess whether the existing tapping guidelines represent a sustainable approach when applied with
these current “high-yield” practices, the growth rates of trees tapped with these practices at 18 sites in
Vermont were measured, and a model that estimates the availability of conductive wood in the tapping
zone of a tree over time was used to determine whether these growth rates were sufficient for the
KEY FINDINGS
Existing tapping guidelines can
be appropriate for current
collection practices.
Healthy, dom/codom trees’
growth rates often sufficient for
sustainable outcomes.
Int/supp and smaller-dbh trees’
growth rates frequently lower
than adequate .
Growth rates should be
measured to ensure sustainable
tapping and sap collection.
114
replenishment of conductive wood to remain at sustainable levels when following the current maple
industry tapping guidelines. The basal area increments of healthy, codominant or dominant trees across
the sites ranged from 1.8 in2/yr in 10-in. diameter trees, to 3.5 in2/yr in 18-in. diameter trees. Estimated
minimum growth rates required ranged from 1.4 in2/yr in 10-in. trees, to 2.6 in2/yr in 18-in. trees.
These results suggest that the growth rates of many trees tapped with high-yield sap collection practices
are sufficient for this activity to remain sustainable when current tapping guidelines are followed.
However, an average of 35% of sampled co-dominant and dominant trees, 38% of smaller-diameter
(8.0-9.9-in dbh) trees, and between 50 and 82% of trees with intermediate or suppressed canopy
position, had growth rates below the estimated minimums. This indicates that for some trees, tapping
practices must be modified from those specified in the current guidelines in order ensure adequate
replenishment of conductive wood is maintained. Likewise, this indicates that to be certain sustainable
tapping practices are implemented, growth rates must be measured.
Overall mean growth rates (basal area increment, BAI) from 2005-2009 of sugar maple trees
tapped with high-yield sap collection practices across 18 sites in Vermont (error bars
indicate standard error of the mean), and estimated minimum growth rates required for
tapping to be sustainable when trees are tapped following existing tapping guidelines.
Measured trees had codominant or dominant canopy position and had been tapped annually
with a single spout for at least 10 years.
115
NORTHERN WHITE CEDAR PLANTATIONS: GLORIFIED HEDGES
OR A SUITABLE TOOL FOR CEDAR RESTORATION AND FOREST
MANAGEMENT?
Olivier Villemaire-Côté(1), Jean-Claude Ruel(1), Luc Sirois(2)
(1)Université Laval, 2405 Rue de la Terrasse, Quebec (QC) Canada G1V 0A6 ,
(2) Université du Québec à Rimouski, 300 Aleé des Ursulines, Rimouski (QC), Canada, G5L 3A1
ABSTRACT
Northern white cedar (Thuja occidentalis,
hereafter referred to as cedar) has seen, for
several decades and throughout its range, a
clear decline in abundance compared to pre-
colonial times. Indeed, a lack of seed trees,
difficulties in the establishment of natural
regeneration and high browsing pressure are
observed in most of its range. Typically found
as a minor component of mixed species stands,
the shade-tolerant, slow-growing cedar
generally becomes dominant on mesic soils
after succeeding to shorter-lived species.
Despite the cultural, ecological and economic
importance of northern white cedar, forest
management has consequently been more focused on its softwood and hardwood competitors. Not only
has this hindered the potential for an increase in cedar abundance, but it has also limited the
development of scientific knowledge on cedar management.
This study is part of a larger project aimed at developing the scientific basis for sustainable management
of cedar. More specifically, its purpose is to generate knowledge on the development of pure and mixed
cedar plantations after clearcut to evaluate their suitability in actively restoring the species. Cedar
plantations ranging from 5 to 27 years old and located in Eastern Quebec were sampled in the summer
of 2015. The effects of browsing pressure, competition and silvicultural treatments on cedar growth and
bole forking were studied.
Results show that cedar growth can be substantially faster than what is suggested in the literature, with
root collar diameter growth exceeding 1 cm/year and height growth exceeding 25 cm/year on the best
KEY FINDINGS
Planted cedar can grow 8
meters in height and 18 cm in
DBH by age 25.
10 years of browsing
suppression could be sufficient
for cedar recruitment.
116
sites. Results also confirm that cedar has a good response to silvicultural treatments such as brushing or
thinning. On some sites, planted cedars were found in an intermediate position under shade-intolerant
hardwoods, reaching 7 to 8 m in height and 16 to 18 cm in diameter at breast height (DBH) at 27 years
old, which suggests that planted cedar can perform well in the presence of shade-intolerant competition.
Zones of safety and vulnerability from and to browsing were drawn according to deer and hare winter
browsing reach, which goes up to a maximum of 2.25 m with high snow cover (Figure 1). When trees
have reached the zone of safety, at a height of 3 m, they have 1 m of live crown under the worst
browsing scenarios, which should guarantee their survival even under high-browsing pressure. The zone
of relative safety extends from 2 to 3 m, at which height browsing should predominantly occur on lower
branches and should not affect survival except under high-browsing scenarios. Non-suppressed cedars
took on average 9 years to reach the zone of relative safety from browsing and 12.5 years to reach the
zone of safety from browsing. With cedar generally being browsed in the winter when other food
sources are scarce and short seedlings of up to 30 cm in height generally not being available for winter
browsing because of snow cover, these results suggest that a well-timed 10 to 13 year predator exclusion
could be sufficient for cedar recruitment depending on browsing pressure.
Height-Age curve for non-suppressed northern white cedar plantations in Eastern Québec. Bars
correspond to standard errors. Relative safety from browsing is attained at a height of 2 m, and safety
from browsing is attained at a height of 3 m.
117
Although cedar growth is shown to be faster than in the literature, it is still outcompeted. When these
competitors are spruce or fir, a dense evergreen multi-layered stand can be created. This stand can be a
good winter habitat for hare, an underestimated cedar browser, as fir and spruce will provide cover. A
window of vulnerability can therefore be created if cedar is not tall enough when the cover becomes
suitable for hare. Moreover, the timing of early silvicultural treatments is more complex to manage in
these stands because of differences in growth rates, potentially leading to consequences for cedar as
faster growing species might be privileged by forest managers.
Knowledge about cedar plantations is still limited and should be further developed. Indeed, the small
pool of older cedar plantations and the lack of historical data prevents the drawing of clear conclusions
on some matters. For instance, cedar is known to have a high tendency to fork, and while forks were
observed in greater proportions on some sites, no clear correlations could be traced. Similarly, while
browsing was observed, the absence of a detailed browsing history prevents detailed conclusions on the
effects of browsing on cedar plantations development.
118
GROWTH AND YIELD OF A JAPANESE LARCH (LARIX
KAEMPFERI (LAMB) CARIERE) PLANTATION: 75-YEAR RESULTS
FROM UNIVERSITY OF VERMONT'S JERICHO RESEARCH
FOREST
Justin Waskiewicz, Lindsay Cotnoir and Ralph Tursini
University of Vermont, Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources 85 Carrigan Dr.
Burlington, VT 05404, USA [email protected]
ABSTRACT
The exotic larch species Japanese larch, European larch (L. decidua P. Mill), and their hybrid (L. x
marschlinsii Coaz) are known for high productivity potential in plantations. Exotic larches have been
planted in New England for over 100 years, with tens of thousands of acres of these species planted on
private, industrial, and some public lands in New England and the Maritime provinces of Canada.
Recent interest in exotic larches has spurred a re-examination of plantations across New England.
University of Vermont's Jericho Research Forest (JRF) includes one of oldest stands of Japanese larch
with an intensive record of management and measurement. Originally established in 1941 on abandoned
farmland, the JRF plantation has been re-measured on permanent plots from the mid-1950s to the mid-
1990s, a time span including three harvest operations. We examined past data records and a recent re-
measurement to reconstruct diameter, height, and volume growth rates for the stand through the present.
The trees now average 17.4 inches (44.2cm) DBH and 107 feet (32.6 m) height, and have produced a net
total of 8,851 ft3/ac (619.5 m3/ha). Mean annual cubic foot volume production peaked around 1970 at
151 ft3/ac (10.6 m3/ha), whereas mean annual board foot volume growth, at 433 bf/ac (2.53 sawn
m3/ha) has not yet peaked. The JRF larch stand provides a unique case study demonstrating the long-
term growth potential of this species in New England.
119
FOREST STRUCTURE, COMPOSITION, AND REGENERATION
FOLLOWING WIND DISTURBANCE IN MIXED HARDWOOD-
CONIFER ECOSYSTEMS
Aaron Weisinger-Flood, Garrett Meigs and William Keeton
Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources, University of Vermont
Gund Institute for Ecological Economics, 85 Carrigan Dr. Burlington, VT 05405 USA
ABSTRACT
Wind storms (i.e., blowdown events) are important natural disturbances worldwide, and blowdown
frequency or severity may increase with anthropogenic climate change and land use. In this study, we
quantify blowdown effects on structural complexity, species composition, and tree regeneration in
mature temperate forests spanning a range of blowdown patch sizes in the northeastern United States.
We compare wind-affected forests and adjacent reference conditions, assessing variability within and
among four sites up to eight years post-blowdown. We find that recent blowdown events transferred a
substantial proportion of canopy trees to down coarse woody debris (CWD). On average, the initial post-
wind ratio of CWD volume to standing tree volume was 7.09 in blowdown stands and 0.63 in reference
stands. Concurrently, the variability of canopy closure within blowdown patches (CV among plots) was
16% higher, indicating diffuse edge conditions. Despite these structural changes, however, tree species
composition was generally similar between blowdown and reference conditions across all sites, with
generally shade-tolerant species dominating all strata (overstory, saplings, and seedlings). Our findings
suggest that intermediate-intensity wind events can increase structural complexity without altering
successional dynamics. Specifically, recent blowdowns increased down CWD and canopy gap
heterogeneity, two key indicators of late successional forest structure that contemporary forest
management activities aim to restore. In addition, the lack of shade-intolerant tree regeneration indicates
that species composition at these sites is relatively resistant to wind-induced changes. This study
demonstrates how partial canopy disturbances like blowdown can enhance late-successional forest
conditions while contributing to stand- and landscape-scale heterogeneity.
120
STRUCTURAL CHARACTERISTICS OF OLD- AND SECOND-
GROWTH NORTHERN WHITE-CEDAR STANDS
Nathan Wesely(1), Laura S. Kenefic(2), Shawn Fraver (1)
(1)School of Forest Resources, University of Maine 5755 Nutting Hall, Orono, ME, 04469 USA
(2)U.S. Forest Service, Penobscot Experimental Forest, 686 Government Road, Bradley, ME USA 04411,
ABSTRACT
Northern white-cedar (NWC) has received limited research attention, and land managers are confronted
with challenges when managing cedar, including the recognition of old-growth (OG) characteristics and
the differentiation between OG and second-growth (SG) stands, particularly in the context of Forest
Stewardship Council (FSC-US) certification. To identify the structural characteristics unique to old-
growth NWC stands, we inventoried 16 OG stands and 17 SG stands (those that have been partially
harvested) in Maine and New Brunswick. Potential predictors used in the analysis included common
structural metrics such as basal area (BA, m² ha-1), quadratic mean diameter (QMD, cm), large tree (>=
40 cm dbh) density, volumes of dead wood (m³ ha-1), along with spatially explicit structural complexity
indices (e.g., diameter distribution index, mingling index). Using a generalized linear mixed-model
approach, two significant predictors were identified that in combination differentiate OG from SG NWC
stands: advanced decay dead wood volume (logs in decay stages 4 and 5 using a 5 decay class system)
and live tree QMD. Advanced decay dead wood volumes averaged 60.6 and 20.8 m³ ha-1, and QMD
averaged 29.4 and 26.3 cm for OG and SG stands respectively. Surprisingly, no spatially explicit
structural complexity indices were useful in predicting OG status. Our research shows that two measures
commonly applied in forest management can be used in the identification of OG NWC stands.
121
DETERMINING THE MECHANISM OF IMPACT OF HARDWOOD
CONTENT ON SPRUCE BUDWORM DEFOLIATION OF BALSAM
FIR
Bo Zhang(1), David MacLean(1)
(1) Forestry and Environmental Management, University of New Brunswick,
P.O. Box 4400, Fredericton, NB, E3B 5A3, Canada
ABSTRACT
Balsam fir (Abies balsamea (L.) Mill.) in mixedwood forests and landscapes with higher hardwood
content has been reported to have lower susceptibility and vulnerability than fir-dominated ones during
spruce budworm (Choristoneura fumiferana (Clem.)) outbreaks. Studies have suggested that the
hardwood "protective" effects have been attributed to higher parasitism rates of budworm and/or greater
larval dispersal losses with higher hardwood percentage. In this research, a field study was conducted in
the Gaspé area, Quebec, where a spruce budworm outbreak started in 2012, to examine budworm-
caused fir defoliation among different stand types and to explore the mechanism of the hardwood
"protective" effects. Three fir-hardwood stands in each of three hardwood content levels (0-25%, 40-
65%, and 75-95%) were selected to compare balsam fir defoliation, budworm population, and parasitism
rate on budworm. Ground traps were deployed to assess budworm first and second instar larval
dispersal. Preliminary results interpreted from 2013 to 2015 data showed that balsam fir defoliation
increased over the three years and peaked in 2015, during which mean annual defoliation for all sampled
stands reached 66%. Regression analyses demonstrated significant (p < 0.01) negative relationships
between defoliation and hardwood content for 2013 and 2014, but were not significant for 2015.
Regression slopes indicated that the hardwood "protective" effect was strongest in 2014. Mean annual
defoliation for softwood stands was about 20% and 60% higher than in mixedwood and hardwood
stands, respectively, in 2014. Differences in spruce budworm population, parasitism and dispersal data
as a function of hardwood content will be described.
